Stranded
by dangerousandbeautiful
Summary: Edward and Bella get on the same plane,but it crashes in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Bella and Edward are the only survivors, and they luckily find a deserted island to stay on until someone finds them. But can they survive each other? All Human OOC
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! I came up with this story idea after I read **_**The Lord of the Flies. **_**It's been floating around in my head for a while so I decided to try it out! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight! Just playing around!**

**Chapter One**

Edward's POV

The one thing that sucks about having a really big family is that none of them want to live together in the same place. When my brother, Emmett, married Rosalie, he obviously didn't know what he was getting himself into. Rose wanted everything--the huge white house, the five snotty-nosed kids running around, and she wanted it all in New Jersey. And whatever Rose wanted, Rose got. Then my younger sister, Alice, met Jasper when she went to a fashion show in France. Why the hell he was even in France at a fashion show when he's from Texas and wears cowboy boots and chews tobacco, I'll never know. Alice said it was fate, and two years ago my parents and I watched as she and Jazz got onto the plane that would take her far away from us. When she first told me she wanted to move to France, I tried to talk her out of it. She was tiny and definitely no match for a man should he want to take advantage of her four-foot-eleven body. I hated the idea of my little sister living out of my reach, away from my protection, but she insisted that Jasper was going to take care of her, and who was I to tell her how to live her life?

So then it was just Mom, Dad, and me living in Chicago. My father was Chief of the local hospital, and I had followed in his footsteps. I was an intern at the same hospital, had been there for two years after going to the University. Emmett was the oldest of children, being twenty-eight. I was twenty-four, and Alice just made twenty-two.

And my little sister was getting married in seven days. I liked Jasper, but for so long it had just been Alice and me. Emmett had married Rose right after graduation, when I was a freshman in high school, and Alice was in seventh grade. My parents expected me to get married next, since I was next in age. But I never met anyone worth keeping. I had girlfriends in high school, being the popular basketball player I was, but no one ever held me long, nothing serious. Then I went to college and did everything from losing my virginity to snorting cocaine, which neither were very pleasant, seeing as I remember nothing from both experiences. I'm never mixing tequila with Jack Daniels again. Marriage and children never crossed my mind like it did Emmett and Alice and, unfortunately, my parents. My mother was so adamant about me living the American life that she even tried setting me up with a few women, the daughters of her friends, the picks of the pack, the most beautiful and classy women in all of Illinois. Sure, they were beautiful, but they were boring as fuck, and I felt like Eddie Murphy on _Coming to America_ when he meets his future wife and she does everything he tells her to. So yeah, those girls weren't for me. Then my mom started to worry that I would be gay, and I felt compelled to show her the scratch marks on my back from my previous encounter with a woman. Needless to say she never questioned my sexuality again. She still worried, though, that I would never reproduce and give her the cute little chubby-cheeked grandchildren she always wanted. I figured I would leave that to Emmett and Alice.

So when Alice announced that she was tying the knot before me, I had to hear it from my mother again.

The wedding was going to be extravagant, and I was serving as a groomsman. Emmett and Rose left for France with my mother and father two weeks before the wedding, but I decided to take a later plane so that I could get more hours at the hospital. My plane was leaving at seven in the morning and arriving in Florida, where I would take another plane that would bring me to a town just outside of Paris, and I would get there around seven in the evening…well, seven over here in America, who knew what time it would be over there.

I really hated flying. Being in a seat in the air for hours made me extremely uneasy. I didn't know how the plane stayed in the air. Hell, I was a doctor, not an engineer. I was always afraid the plane would crash, not that I was afraid of death, I actually kind of welcomed it into my monotone life, but I _really _didn't like the shaking and the feeling of your stomach in your throat. I sighed as I put the seatbelt on and tried to sleep.

***

The flight to Florida had been okay overall, but now I was going to be on a plane for much longer on the trip to France, going over the entire Atlantic Ocean. My seat was in the back, which I was grateful for, and I was next to the window. All the other passengers got onto the plane and about fifteen minutes later, we were off. The first two hours went on without problems, and I was starting to get bored. I took out my iPod and started listening to Debussy, hoping it would calm me down and help me drift into dreamland.

I must have fallen asleep quickly because in the middle of the song, the most beautiful girl I had ever seen walked down the aisle towards me. She was looking down at her feet intensely, as if she were afraid of falling. She must have sensed my gaze on her, because she looked up and I was met with dark, chocolate eyes that were so deep and expressive that I felt like I could drown in them. Her face was pale, her hair the same color as her eyes, but when she caught me staring at her, her face broke out in a completely beautiful blush, highlighting her cheekbones and made her look other-worldly--a goddess. Then I felt a huge jolt under my feet, and she broke eye contact, falling straight to the plane floor. I rushed out of my seat, cursed when I was pulled back by the seat belt, ripped it off of me, ignored my sleeping neighbor, and helped the beautiful girl up. I gripped one of her hands and her other elbow gently, but not soft enough to not notice the tingle than ran through my body when I touched her. She looked up at me in surprise, her big eyes full of wonder and confusion. Had she felt it too? She averted her eyes from mine again and muttered a 'thank you' as she stood up and hurried to the bathroom, her original destination. I sighed and sat back down, buckling up again. I looked out the window. Of course this wasn't a dream. If it had been, I would have asked the girl her name and her phone number. I wouldn't have made a fool of myself staring at her.

"Would you like a peppermint, sir?" an overly sweet voice said to me. I looked toward the bowl of candies held out to me and my eyes met cleavage. A lot of cleavage. I looked up more and saw a nametag that read _Lauren._ I chuckled and cocked an eyebrow at her. She had the orangey fake tan skin and blonde hair extensions. I never really had a favorite type of girl, but I knew this one's flirting was useless. She leaned in closer, her bubblegum breath filling my nostrils.

"No," I said sweetly, "but I think you should have one yourself." Her little grin faltered faster than you could say 'hoe,' and she gave me a mean look as she stalked off. The plane started shaking more, and I took deep breaths to calm down. The beautiful brown haired girl came out of the bathroom then, still looking at her feet. I decided to ignore my fear and help her to her seat.

"Hi," I said to her. She looked up at me, the same confused look in her eyes, but after a few seconds of staring at me, she smiled.

"Hello," she said. Even her voice was beautiful, like the classical music I liked to listen to.

"I'm Edward." I held my hand out to her. She looked at my hand for a second, and then held hers up to show me that it was still wet from washing them.

"I'm sorry. It's Isabella, but everyone calls me Bella," she said. Her smile lit up the whole plane cab. Her name was fitting…Italian for 'beautiful'. I was about to tell her this, but the plane suddenly jerked violently and we were thrown to the ground. I guarded her with my arms to make sure she didn't get hurt. I heard loud beeping and screaming. The plane was shaking violently, and we started rolling around crazily. The breathing machines popped out of the ceiling and I gripped Bella with one arm and the bottom of a seat with the other. It was hard to breathe, and I couldn't see straight, I was so dizzy. I managed to yell something to Bella about holding on to me, and she gripped my waist. I held my breath in my lungs, gripped onto the seat for dear life, and prayed that we would be okay.

Because we were going _down._

**A/N: So do you like it? Tell me if you do and I'll continue it! I plan for this story to be a little bit OOC and a tad bit cursing with a little bit of lemon. Not much lemon because I hate stories with mindless smut but there will be maybe a few chapters with it. But only if you REVIEW! Thank you for reading :]**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This is pretty much Chapter One in Bella's POV. I will try to update once a week, but it may not always work out that way because college is hectic and I'm pretty stressed out right now. I'll try my hardest though ****J**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter Two**

**BPOV**

Yesterday I would have sworn on my life that Mike Newton was the most aggravating man in the entire world. Today, however, I was positive, without a doubt, that Mike's own father had won that title by a long shot. I mean, who the hell does he think he is, marching into _my _office, touching _my _possessions, and telling me that he's scheduled me to travel to France for our magazine company? I was surprised at first, because he never offered to let me travel with them for work. Mike, Jr., was my boss, and his father was his boss, so that would make Michael my "big-boss". So, I could not say no to this ridiculous trip.

Mike and his father were leaving before me to make sure everything in France was in order for us. I would get there three days later on a plane leaving from my Florida, just a few miles away from my hometown. I had only been on a plane once, and that was when we moved from Arizona to Florida. I don't remember it being pleasant, so my nerves were going a little out of whack. But going to Paris would be a once in a lifetime experience, even if I was only going for work and no play. I would be really sad if I never saw the outside of our appointed building. I still couldn't figure out why Newton wanted to bring me; I didn't even know French, but, as my friend Angela reminded me over and over again, I was a workaholic who needed a damn break.

It was true. After my depressing breakup with Eric my senior year, I threw myself into studying. I aced all my classes in college, and finished in only three years. I was a twenty-two year old prodigy with no life and, even though I never admitted it out loud, no happiness. Sure, my parents always made me feel a little better, but they had each other to be happy with, Angela had Ben, and I had…no one. I had no extracurricular activities, no siblings, and no real friends to hang out with. I had Angela, but like I said, Angela had Ben. I didn't know what my problem was. I knew I didn't want a boyfriend since my relationship with Eric had ended so badly. I was so heartbroken at the texts I found from some girl in his biology class. Hmpf. Biology, how ironic.

I didn't get along with people easily because I was so shy, plus people tended to dislike me because I always corrected when they were wrong. Hey, I'm a perfectionist, and it's not my fault people need to go back to high school and learn how to talk correctly.

I decided that when the time came, I would just take a sleeping pill to knock myself out on the plane and just sleep through the entire flight. Well, if I grew the guts. I had a problem with taking medicine ever since my grandmother took medication and fell asleep while driving.

I had started packing everything from my office that I would need in France when I heard a jovial voice enter my office.

"Bells!" Mike Newton said excitedly, "My dad just told me you're coming with us to Paris!" I smiled at him, though it probably came off as more of a grimace. I was not looking forward to spending a few nights in a hotel room right next to his.

"Yeah. I just hope we're not stuck in an office the entire time we're there," I said while stuffing papers into my briefcase.

"Nah, Dad says we're gonna have dinner on the Eiffel Tower one of the nights we're there. I think I'll rent a moped, and you and I can ride on it through the streets at night," he said, his face lighting up.

I internally groaned. Sure, it was a sweet idea, but wasn't it also romantic? I never wanted to hear the words 'romantic' and 'Mike' in a sentence, especially if I was involved. But he was my boss, and I had to act nice.

"Sounds good, Mike. Listen, I have a lot of stuff to do, and if I don't finish by tomorrow, I'll never get it finished in time, so…" I trailed off, politely throwing him out of my room. He nodded and smiled his goofy grin, and thankfully left without another word. It had been a lie. I was almost finished packing. And I didn't have much clothes at home, mostly I just wore the same outfits over and over- jeans and a T-shirt, so it wouldn't take any time at all to pack my stuff at home.

I sighed. Mike and the others were leaving tomorrow, so that gave me an extra few free days of nothing to do. I hated my days off more than I hated my working days. I would rather be paid to be flirted with all day than to sit at my boring house alone and doing absolutely nothing.

Would my life always be this monotone?

***

"Please be careful, Sweetheart," my mom's worried voice over the phone made me feel bad for not telling my parents about my trip sooner. I had put it off and put it off, knowing that they would worry.

"Mom, I'm going to be fine. I'll be with the Newtons the whole time. And I can take care of myself," I added. I heard the announcement for my flight on the intercom. "I'm sorry, I have to go, Mom. Do you want me to call you when my plane lands?"

"You better," she said, "I love you, Isabella."

"I love you, too. Try not to worry too much. Bye, Mom." I snapped my cell shut and headed for the area I was supposed to go in. It had been so long since I had been on a plane, and I was getting the goose bumps.

My suitcase was loaded and I was seated towards the middle next to some fat and stinky guy, and the next thing I knew, we were off. I held onto my armrests and tried to slow my erratic heart beat. I looked around the plane, trying to find things to distract me. It was a good thing I wasn't next to the window, because then I would have been totally freaking out.

Ten minutes later the stinky fat guy was out. So was the old lady on the other side of me. I knew it was impossible for me to fall asleep, so I just laid my head back and tried to watch the movie playing on the little screens. It was _P.S. I Love You_, and I cried when it ended. At the start of another movie, I heard a low noise that sounded very much like a…fart?

And then I smelled it. Ugh. The stinky fat guy sitting next to me was farting in his sleep! The old woman sitting next to me had awoken sometime during the movie, and was now looking at me curiously. I realized that she could smell the farts, too, and she thought I was the one passing gas by the look on her face. Her wrinkled nose was even more wrinkled with disgust.

"Oh, no, that wasn't me, that was him," I said quickly, pointing my finger at the guy next to me. Her eyebrows came together and she frowned at me.

"It was him," I repeated, gesturing toward the guy again.

"What?!" she practically yelled. Oh great, she can't hear me, but she can certainly smell. I groaned.

"Such rude teenagers these days! Why, if I ever did that with people around in my day, my father would have whipped me!" she said. My jaw dropped open.

"I am not a teenager! AND I DID NOT FART!" I yelled in frustration. People started looking at me like I was crazy. It didn't do any good, either, because the old lady still didn't hear me. I groaned and got out of my seat, heading for the bathroom, getting away from the smell and the crazy lady. I realized this was a bad idea as I had trouble trying to stay up. Not wanting to make an even bigger fool of myself by tripping, I kept my eyes on my feet to make sure I didn't fall.

Suddenly I had the hugest urge to look up. Something was telling me to. Then I locked gazes with the most beautiful pair of green eyes I had ever seen and a complete mess of strange bronze hair. He was beautiful, with a strong jaw and chin lined with a bit of stubble, defined cheekbones, a straight nose, and pouty lips. His features reminded me of a lion, especially his hair, or perhaps he could have been a Greek god; both were fitting to describe the man looking at me. I felt my face grow hot, and at the worst moment, I felt the plane move quickly, and my feet gave out, losing eye contact with the hottest guy I'd ever seen.

I wasn't disappointed for long, however, when the man rushed to my aide. He helped me up by my elbow, and I could not help but notice the feeling of electricity flowing through my arm to my whole body at his touch. I looked away from him quickly with a small 'thank you,' and headed for the bathroom, my heart racing once again.

I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to gain some confidence. _I should go talk to him_, I thought. _Really, what could it hurt? You'll probably never see him again anyway._ Gathering up all my courage, I opened the door to see him talking to some blonde bimbo who worked on the plane. She was obviously flirting with him, but I couldn't see his face until she walked off. Losing all my bravery, I started walking back towards my seat with my eyes locked on my feet again.

"Hi," a velvety voice came from behind me. I looked up to see the Greek god talking to _me. _His eyes were kind but intense at the same time. I realized I was being rude by staring at him, so I smiled, hoping not to let my heart jump out of my chest. Wait…aren't I to say something back? Oh , yeah-

"Hello," I said nervously.

He held out his hand to me and told me his name was Edward. My hands were still wet from washing them, and I cursed myself for not wiping them better, for I really wanted to touch him again and feel that electricity. I told him my name quickly, hoping he got it all, and he looked as if he were about to say something until the bottom of the plane gave an enormous jerk, and we were knocked to the floor. I could feel myself about to hyperventilate, and I felt strong arms grab onto my weak ones and wrap them around something hard--Edward's body.

"Hold onto me!" he yelled. I held on tighter as I heard beeping and screaming from all directions. The plane was making circles, and I felt like I was on some type of roller coaster. I couldn't breathe right when I tried, so I just held my breath. I could feel my stomach in my chest, and knew that the plane was going down into the ocean. I opened my eyes a little and saw a giant hole above me and realized the left wing had been torn off. Passengers' seats were being ripped from the floor, sending them into the air. I knew from this height they would not survive--hitting the water when falling from a certain height was like hitting cement.

_Oh my God, we're all going to die._ I could feel tears prickle in my eyes even in my state of shock. Edward must have had a good hold of something, because it was a miracle we hadn't been sucked out, too. I pulled my face out of his lower back and tried to get his attention. Suddenly I heard a loud crash coming from the bottom of us and felt water hit my feet. Drowning had to be the worst possible way to die because it was slow and painful, not to mention scary. The fact that I knew this would be my fate made my heart race even more, my breath completely leaving my body, and my mind go completely blank until I knew no more.

**EPOV**

I felt Bella's arms going limp from my waist and grabbed her before she fell into the water. I managed to get a good hold around her waist, and when the water started to rise up enough for me to float, I quickly swam to where there was a hole in the side of the plane. All the seats there had been ripped out with the passengers strapped to them, so I didn't have much trouble maneuvering to the gash in the side. Now the plane was sinking slowly, but I didn't have time to look for other survivors. I held firmly onto Bella, prepared for the plane to try to suck me down with it once we went through the hole. Survival was the only thing on my mind, and I couldn't think of anything else but the small body in my arms and how the hell I was going to do this without passing out in fear.

Finally the water rose up to the top of the plane and we floated through the hole. It was a good thing my old basketball coach had worked our team so hard in high school, otherwise I didn't think I would be able to kick my feet hard enough to fight the pressure of the plane sinking and swim to the surface of the water. It was hard, and I was fighting for breath under the water, and it would have been so much easier if I didn't have the girl in my arms, but I couldn't just let her die, too. I kicked and kicked so hard until finally my face broke the surface of the ocean water. I took a deep breath and brought Bella's head up to make sure she was breathing. Her heart was beating slowly and her breath was coming up short, but I knew she would be okay. I was a doctor, after all.

My body was exhausted after that enormous adrenaline rush. I didn't think I would be able to stay awake much longer. I looked around, hoping someone else would come up from the plane, even though it was probably a hundred feet down already.

No one did.

I found a floating airbag that was still intact, and had no doubt been ripped from the plane. I held onto it and pulled the girl up so that half her body was on the thing. I wrapped an arm around it, too, and felt myself drifting off quickly.

The weather was nice and the sun was starting to go down. The waves were relatively calm and the water wasn't cold, so what the hell had happened to make the plane go down? My body was still in shock and exhausted, and I could feel my fingers starting to prune in the water before I fell asleep on Bella on my makeshift raft, way out at sea with no one and nothing to help me.

**A/N: Awe, so sad. I'm really sorry if I offended anyone with the plane crashing, for it was not my intention. Tell me a few things you would like to see happen in this story…some cute ideas, maybe even a plot? I have a plot, but I don't have many cute little stories to add in the meantime.**

**Thanks for reading and please review! It really does make me want to write more! J**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't own Twilight…but you probably knew that already lol. So I was like really happy with the last chapter's response…and I've got 11 reviews so far. Think we can get to 19 with this chapter? Please?**

**Chapter Three**

**BPOV**

Cold.

Wet.

Numb.

These were automatically the first things I registered as my eyes slowly opened. I tasted salt water and my eyes burned as if someone had poured tar in them. My vision was blurry at first, but slowly my eyes started to focus on something gray. _Cement?_ My mind wondered stupidly. No, it wasn't cement. It felt soft and pillow-like under my cheek.

Coherence started to return to me as my consciousness came back. I lifted my heavy head, struggling with my sore neck. I heard my neck pop as it moved up. Oh, that felt good. I looked down at the gray thing that had been under my cheek.

_An airbag?_ My mind registered with my sight. Then I saw that it was floating. In the middle of the ocean.

_Holy fuck, I'm in the middle of an ocean!_

I couldn't believe that wasn't the first thing that I noticed when I woke up. But in my confused state, I realized that my whole body wasn't cold. A part of my waist was warm, but my body was so numb from the water that I hadn't realized it. I looked to the left of me, and when my gaze met the face of the beautiful man on the side of me, his forehead leaning on the back of my shoulder, everything came whirling back to me.

I remembered meeting Edward, and then I recalled the plane giving a giant jolt, sending us both to our feet. Everything from then on was fuzzy. My memory would not cooperate.

Edward's face was deathly pale, his lips white and his eyes closed in a deep slumber. Or was he even sleeping?

_Oh my God, is he dead?_ I started freaking out and tried to move my pruned hand out of the water, but I still felt paralyzed from the chest down, where the water was hitting my body. With all my strength, I was finally able to lift my arm out of the water and attempt to stroke his face.

I touched his cheek softly, and he wouldn't wake up. I tried slapping him a bit, but still no response. I couldn't tell if he was breathing, but I realized his hand was the warm thing around my waist. If he was still warm, then that meant he was still alive, right?

"Edward," I said desperately, but my voice came out hoarse and raspy, causing my throat to burn. I tried to clear it, but that only made it hurt more.

"Edward! Edward! Wake up! Please, wake up!" I repeated over and over. I started looking around, hoping to see a boat or another survivor…land…anything! But there was nothing in sight but water, miles and miles of water.

I tried moving my other limbs, and I started to get feeling back in my body. I moved my legs around sharply, still trying to wake up the man next to me, when my leg came into contact with something hard.

"OW!"

**EPOV**

_Ooof!_ I felt myself jolted awake by something hitting me in my groin. Really hard. My first instinct was to grab myself, but my hands were stiff and wet, confusing me. That didn't stop me, though.

I looked around for the perpetrator, and I saw big, beautiful brown eyes staring back at me. Then everything that had happened today, or yesterday, or mere hours or minutes ago, hit me like a wrecking ball. How long had it been since I passed out? I blinked a few times, clearing the water out if my eyes to get a good look at Bella and my surroundings. Her eyes were wide and terrified.

"I am so sorry, I didn't mean to do that! I was just trying to wake you up! I was so afraid that you were dead!" she whispered hoarsely.

I didn't respond, still in shock that this wasn't a dream. I tried moving the arm that wasn't holding my poor midsection to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't in some nightmare, but when I moved my right arm, I realized it was on her waist, and I didn't want to let go of her just yet.

"How long have you been conscious?" I asked her, my voice also scratchy and irritated.

"I don't know…maybe five minutes," she said. I noticed that she still looked beautiful even after a plane crash and being in the ocean for who knew how long. I couldn't help but admire her features now that I was up close. Her plump lips were red and her face was red, either from being sun burnt or from blushing, I couldn't tell. She looked exhausted, however, and her eyes were drooping a bit, giving her a sultry look. Not wanting to seem like I was ogling, I turned my gaze and mind to more pressing matters…like where we were. There was no land, no speck of anything, and my heart sank.

We were going to die out here. We had no food, no water, and barely anything to hold us up. The airbag wasn't going to stay blown up forever. I briefly wondered what would get us first--starvation or drowning. I looked back at Bella sadly. Perhaps it would have been better if I had just let us go down with the plane to a fast death instead of dying slowly at sea.

Well, there was no point in crying over spilled milk. We were alive. I just didn't know for how long.

I looked down at my limbs that appeared highlighted in the water and sighed in hopelessness. When I looked at Bella again, I noticed she was looking at the water with a frown on her face and sadness in her eyes. She caught me staring at her and turned her chocolate eyes toward my neck, refusing to meet my gaze. Why, I did not know.

"I'm really sorry about that," she muttered quietly. It was a surprise that I could hear her, she was talking so low, but it reminded me of how alone we were out here with no sound but the slaps of waves hitting our bodies.

"Don't worry about it. It doesn't hurt anymore," I lied. Truthfully, I could still feel the pain throbbing in my poor groin, but I wasn't about to sound like a pussy. She cocked an eyebrow at me in disbelief and I smirked a little and shrugged with a wink. She laughed softly and I laughed with her, not knowing what was so funny. Then she started laughing uncontrollably in a fit of hysterics. My smile faded in confusion.

"I'm afraid I don't get the joke," I said, wanting to laugh at her strange behavior.

"It's just," she laughed, "I have," _laugh_, "the worst luck," _laugh_, "of everyone," _another laugh_, "in the world!" By now there were tears in her eyes from laughing so hard.

Her words sent a strange pang through my chest. I knew it was wrong to think of it that way, but the way she said it made me feel like she thought being stuck with me was the worst possible thing to have happened to her.

_Nonsense, Edward, _a voice in my head said, _she just doesn't like the situation. It has nothing to do with you._

"I'm here too, you know," I mumbled lamely. At my statement, she finally looked up and met my eyes, but now it was I who couldn't look at her.

"Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that! I must sound so selfish!" she said hurriedly.

I rolled my neck around feeling it crack as it released tension. God, that felt better. I grimaced at the burn on my face. The sun had been descending when the plane went down and we got on the 'raft,' and now the sun was out again, beating heat on us. I briefly wondered how long I had been out for. Definitely the whole night and morning, I realized.

"Well, I suppose we must both have very bad luck," I said. Bella sighed softly.

"What time do you think it is?" Bella voiced my thoughts.

"I don't know. But judging by your sunburn, I'd have to guess around noon. It was nearing nighttime when we went down." Bella gasped, and I looked at her questioningly.

"All those people! I can't believe I was just pitying myself!" she cried. Realizing that she was going into shock, I pulled her to me and rubbed her shoulders, letting go completely of the raft. I knew that putting pressure on one's body in a comforting way sometimes calmed a person's system.

Her breathing, which had spiked during her panic, slowly started to decrease back to normal. Her heart rate, however, only seemed to pick up more as I gripped her shoulders. She seemed to relax, though, regardless. How strange.

Once she seemed calm again, I let go of her shoulders, letting my fingers run down the silky skin over her thin bones, and I smirked when I saw that she broke out in goose bumps at my touch.

"Bella, don't think about that. They didn't suffer, and there is nothing we can do. Just don't fret over it. I think we should focus on here and now—what is happening to _us."_

She sighed. "You're right. So…what _are _we going to do?" She looked around at the water, seeing exactly what I saw—nothing.

"I don't know. Hopefully another plane will pass by and see us. Or maybe a boat." Then something occurred to me. "Bella, you didn't have any family on that plane, did you?" Instant guilt flooded me. What if she had been traveling with her parents on that plane? Had she been with someone? A husband, perhaps? A strange feeling grabbed my gut, and I couldn't figure out what it was. I felt guilt at the possibility that her parents or someone close to her had just died and I had done nothing to help, but this was different. Was it…_jealousy?_ _No. Edward Cullen was never jealous of anyone. That wasn't it. My mind was just fucked from that damn crash. I'm going crazy._

"No. It was just me. I wonder if that man ever even woke up during the crash. That old lady probably didn't even hear anything," Bella said.

"What mad and old lady?" I asked with curiosity as relief flooded me.

"Oh, they were just the people I sat next to on the plane. The man kept farting in his sleep and the old lady kept thinking it was me because she could only smell, not hear." Bella rolled her eyes, but then she looked horrified, probably because she felt guilty talking about deceased people that way.

I laughed at her innocence. It was clear she was a shy person, but had a feisty side to her. It was too cute. She seemed to cheer up a little at my laugh, but then an awkward silence followed. We both knew we were doomed, and the lack of conversation seemed to make it worse. I tried to make small talk.

"So why were you going to France anyway?" I asked. It was obvious she wasn't from there, so she had to just be vacationing or something, but why was she alone? I tried to get a glimpse of her hand to see if there was a ring on her finger, and I was happy to see said ring was apparently not there. So she wasn't married. Again, my gut did a little flop, but this time it was in happiness.

"I work for a magazine company in Florida, and my boss wanted to interview a band from Paris to put in an article. They left on a different plane than mine, so now I guess I won't be going to France." She chuckled but the smile didn't meet her eyes. "What about you? What's your story?"

"Oh, nothing terribly exciting, I assure you. My sister lives in France and she's getting married in a few days."

Bella looked saddened at my admittance. "Now you're going to miss your own sister's wedding." I shrugged, trying not to think about it.

We were quiet for a little while longer before Bella spoke to me again.

"I'm bored."

"Me, too," I said. I looked down at her. She was still holding onto the raft with both hands while I held on with just one. She still had her back to me but we weren't in an intimate position--we just looked like a man and woman stranded at sea. Bella bit her lip but let it go from between her teeth quickly.

"Ugh," she spat, "I taste like salt water." I chuckled at her. Suddenly I wondered what her mouth tasted like on a normal day, one when she had not been drifting for hours. Even though she was sunburned and swollen, she still looked beautiful. Normally I went for the fake blond type women. It didn't really matter to me since I only spent a couple hours with them. It's not like I had to wake up to what they _really _looked like.

And thank God for that. But Bella was definitely different. She had a natural and angelic beauty. I bet no man had ever kicked her out of his house after sex. My eyes clenched.

And there it was again…that strange gut feeling.

"Hey, Edward?" Bella asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"Let's play a game," she said. She didn't say it with any sexual innuendo…to my disappointment. She looked at me with brighter eyes, and I was happy to oblige to her wishes, though I couldn't even imagine what kind of game we could possibly play _here._

"Um…okay. What game do you want to play?"

"Well, there isn't really a name for it, but my friend and I play it at work all the time. So here's the rules: I say one thing randomly, and you say the first thing that pops into your mind. And you _have _to say the first thing that you think of, no editing. And then I feed off of what you said. Got it?"

Okay, so that seemed like an easy game. "Yeah. Let's play." Anything to pass the time.

"Alright. I'm gonna start off with…music." Why did she start off with that?

_No, focus, Edward, what does the word music make you think of?_

"Dear Penis," I blurted out. She cocked an eyebrow. I quickly defended myself, "What? It's a song!" She rolled her eyes.

"Ummm…Eminem…" she continued.

"Superman," I said.

"Kryptonite."

"Green."

"White."

"White wet tee shirt contest." She glared at me for that one.

"Paris."

"A Night in Paris."

"Cruises."

"Brazilian bikini waxes."

"Coconuts."

"Jenna Jameson." I made a motion with my hands in front of my chest, indicating big tits. Hey, she said coconuts.

"Edward! I'm about to slap you!"

"Ooooh, that makes me think of a riding crop," I said.

"That's it! I quit!" she said.

"Aw, come on, Bella. One more round?"

She huffed, clearly irritated. I would have stopped but seeing her riled up was too cute.

"Okay," she said, "Money. Make something perverted out of that, Mr. Sexter!"

I tightened my lips to keep from laughing. Did she just call me Mr. Sexter? Her angry face turned to one of embarrassment, and turned even more red with her blush.

"Money," she repeated, trying to return to the subject. I let a chuckle out and said the first thing that popped into my head at the mention of the word money.

"Hugh Heffner," I said. She groaned. I started laughing as she refused to meet my eyes.

"Edward!" she said as she grabbed my shoulder. She turned around fully so that her whole body was facing me. Our legs touched and tangled as she tried to see above my head. I wiped a tear from my eye from laughing so hard and gave her my full attention.

"What?" Her eyes widened as she stared across at something. Without looking at me, she grabbed my hair and turned my head around.

"Do you see that? That speck?" she whispered. I squinted my eyes a little and tried to see what she was looking at. And sure enough, it was a--

"Is that what I think it is?" she said.

"Yeah, I think so," I said in amazement. I turned around slowly and looked her dead straight in the eyes. She looked back at me.

"Land."

**A/N: Okay, mon amis! This chapter you review and get a preview of chapter 4. I just discovered communities, and I'd like to know how I can get this story onto a community if that's possible. Can we get to at least 19 reviews this chapter? Please? Reading reviews from ya'll is better than getting sexed up by Mr. Sexter! Lol no I'm kidding. I bet nothing is better than sexing up Mr. Sexter. Sorry guys…**

**REVIEW GET A PREVIEW!!!**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry this took a little while. I've been partying nonstop and then sleeping nonstop, so I probably should have wrote a few chapters before posting so I wouldn't have to play catch up! I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

_Previously:_

"_Do you see that? That speck?" she whispered. I squinted my eyes a little and tried to see what she was looking at. And sure enough, it was a--_

"_Is that what I think it is?" she said._

"_Yeah, I think so," I said in amazement. I turned around slowly and looked her dead straight in the eyes. She looked back at me._

"_Land."_

Chapter Four

Bella's POV

We had been drifting at sea for roughly twenty-four hours. Only four of those said twenty-four hours I had been conscious, and I was just about ready to give up all hope when I saw a tiny speck, large enough to be seen and small enough to not be mistaken for a mirage.

I had to admit that Edward was starting to piss me off, but at the same time I couldn't help but think his immaturity was cute. I knew he probably wasn't really like that, though. I figured he just knew how upset I had been and was trying to cheer me up. He was so hard to look at, beautiful even when sun burned and smelling of salt water. I was scared to look at him too long, afraid that I wouldn't be able to look away. He wore the red face well, as if nothing could ever maim his beauty. I knew I more than likely resembled a tomato, and my lips hurt like hell. This was fast becoming a problem because I had a habit of lip biting, and in my anxiety I wanted to bite so, so bad, but I knew if I did it would be torturous, and my lips would start bleeding. Problem after problem.

But when I saw that little dot past Edward's beautiful head, all aggravation with him disappeared from my mind.

"What if it's not land? What if it's a ship or something?" I said quickly, regaining my voice after being hoarse for so long.

"Well, whatever it is, it's going to benefit us, so I say we move toward it," he said, looking at me with wide eyes. I was sure my face mirrored his own alert one.

"Well?" I said impatiently.

"Well what?" he said, confused.

"What are we waiting for? Let's swim to it!" I nearly shouted, moving to paddle our raft toward the thing far away from us. I hoped I wasn't making a complete fool of myself, since I didn't have the faintest idea on how to swim. Edward seemed to have the body of an athlete, and every time his legs hit mine under the water, I could feel the strong muscles of his calves. I had tried very hard not to let that distract me.

Edward followed my actions without another word, kicking much harder than I was. We started to move faster, and within fifteen minutes of hard paddling and breathing, I could just make out the outline of the extremely small island we were coming upon. It seemed so small, but we were still so far away that I couldn't be sure.

"It's an island," Edward voiced my thoughts. His voice sounded relieved, but not completely. "I was hoping it was a ship because that would guarantee people to help us."

"I don't care what it is, so long as we don't die in this water!" I said to him, urging him to paddle more. I was growing tired but I couldn't stop, not with hope of being saved.

_Oh shit. Being saved. I never even thanked Edward for saving me. Bella, you jackass._ I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. I would have to thank him, but right now wasn't the time. I would have to wait for a better moment, when we were not completely focused on swimming. Plus, I was sure my breath resembled a dragon's, and I didn't want to talk so close to him.

Five minutes of more swimming and trying to keep up with Edward passed, and soon I was out of breath. Edward noticed, and he stopped.

"We can take a little break. You'll need more strength to fight the current once we near shore anyway, so you'll need to brace yourself," Edward said. I nodded and laid my head against the cool side of the raft. Edward surprised me by laying his hand against my left cheek, the one that wasn't against the raft. His hand was rough and pruned, but it was cool and pleasant against my burned skin. I sighed slowly, and felt a bad headache coming on.

"I feel like shit."

Edward chuckled. "You're probably nauseated from lack of food. You're dehydrated and weak. We'll need to get something in your stomach before you collapse," he said. His words made me imagine the time my high school teacher taught me how to change salt water to fresh water. But it wasn't possible here. Oh, what I wouldn't give for a bowl of my mother's horrible spaghetti right about now. _I swear to never ever take her food for granted again if I manage to get out of this situation._

Edward's POV

Bella was looking pretty horrible. Working in a hospital, I was used to dehydration, and I knew that if I didn't feed her soon, she would vomit and then pass out, two possibilities I couldn't deal with right now.

Her skin was still so soft under my hand. It was burning, yes, from the sun, but that didn't seem to make a difference to the texture. I knew by this time tomorrow, I would be peeling like a dozen bananas thrown to a horde of chimpanzees. It was something Emmett and I had inherited from our father--every time we went out in the sun for a while and get burned, by the next day we looked like we had skin diseases, we peeled so much. I shuddered at the thought of how I would look to Bella tomorrow.

Suddenly Bella screamed loudly, and I flinched in shock. She looked down at the water and jumped into my arms, latching herself to my body.

"A shark! A shark! I felt it under my feet!" she cried. I laughed at the absurdity.

"Bella, calm down."

"Oh my God, we're going to die! It's going to chomp off our legs and eat our insides, and let our heads float around!" She gripped me tighter, wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck, pushing her breasts against my chest. I gasped.

I tried to gain composure and talk to her, hoping she didn't notice the bulge in my pants through the water. "We're not going to die. We're not far out enough to even be near sharks now that the water is shallower," I lied; actually, I had no idea if sharks even roamed these waters. "You probably just felt a fish."

"That was no fish, Edward, I swear!"

I rolled my eyes at her terrified face but then considered something important.

"You're not on your period, are you, Bella?" I asked, suddenly worried. I took her arms in my hands and began to examine them for cuts. "Were you cut during the crash?" I found it hard to believe that she would have been cut when the plane went down. I would have noticed, right?

I felt incredibly stupid and selfish. I didn't even check her for wounds after I saved us! Some doctor I was! All I could remember was falling asleep because I was so exhausted. God, how selfish could I be? If she had an opened wound, a shark would no doubt smell it and try to attack.

"No, I am not on my period, and why do you look so panicked?" Bella said. I looked back up into her angered face. Shit, she had me figured out. "Did you lie to me when you said there's no sharks right here?" she demanded. I didn't answer, hoping that she wouldn't get too mad at me. Bella scoffed and let go of me quickly, as if I had burned her. I gripped her hips so that she couldn't unwrap her legs, but she still managed to move and jerk away from me; as she jerked, her body moved down my own instead of away. Bella gasped when she felt my wet tent.

Fuck!

Bella moved away from me again, her face now showing disgust. I didn't stop her, and she started swimming again. Apparently she was fighting her dehydration, because she didn't seem to be tired or struggling.

"The water's cold," I mumbled lamely, even though I figured she wouldn't go for that. She didn't.

"Yeah, whatever, Edward. I'm not stupid; I know a…a boner when I see one," she said, blushing. I caught up to her and chuckled despite my embarrassment.

"Well, technically, you didn't see one, you just felt one."

"Oh, just shut up and help me get to the damn island."

I snickered and caught up to her. Once we neared the first sandbar, the current got rough, and we both had to hold onto the raft, kicking hard until we passed it. It was easier then, but I was starting to feel just as exhausted as Bella looked. The sun was starting to go down; I figured we had about one more hour until we would be in the dark.

When our feet touched the bottom of the sandbar, Bella moaned in happiness. It made me feel better too, after not being able to stand for so long, just floating. The island was, well, beautiful. It was very small, only about half a mile long, which is why I guessed no one lived on it. The water was so clear and blue, especially now that we were in the shallow, I could see through the water all the way to the bottom.

It looked like the place of honeymoons. The sand was paper white and there were a few trees here and there. I couldn't tell what kind of trees they were, but some looked like pine. It seemed like something out of a movie. I had only ever seen pine trees at pool sides back in California when I visited an old friend from high school. It was incredibly strange to see a real live one where they grow naturally.

We went over one more sandbar before finally reaching the edge of the beach. Walking up the warm sand, I felt like a blind man seeing for the first time. Bella stumbled from being weak and probably from not walking for so long. My legs felt like jelly, too, so I gently grabbed her arms to make sure she wouldn't fall. She resisted my touch, however, and moved away from me, falling to the ground a few feet away. I threw the raft to the ground and hesitated at the sight of Bella on the ground. She didn't want my help, and was obviously still disgusted with me for earlier. She needed food, though, and I'd be damned if she didn't at least let me help her with that. I fought my exhaustion and started to look around for some sort of fruit. The island seemed mostly flat, but it was a little hilly. I started walking toward the tiny forest, for lack of a better word, when I heard Bella mutter something unintelligible. I looked back at her sprawled body just in time to see her reach for her soaked jacket. I watched her in amazement as she removed it and threw it down, exposing her thin arms and tee shirt. She took her shoes and socks off slowly, never even glancing at me. I realized her clothes must have been making her feel heavier with all the watered weight, and was probably making her more weak.

I looked down at my own clothing. I only had a long sleeved shirt and undershirt on, but I figured I could lose both. I stripped quietly, feeling much better and lighter. My shoes had been lost when I kicked so hard from the plane, so all I had was my jeans and socks. I looked back at Bella; she was already back to the ground, hair in the sand and everything. She looked a bit like a fallen angel, and I shuddered, thinking about what would have happened had I only saved myself. I walked on, determined to find some sort of food. I noticed coconut trees and banana trees, but they were so high up the tree that I didn't even consider trying to get them.

Eventually, I found an avocado plant, and I picked a few of the fruit, itching to taste them. My energy was fast leaving me, as was the sunlight. I returned to Bella, hoping this would satisfy us for a little while, long enough to sleep through the night. I would try to build a fire tomorrow, hoping someone would see it. There was no way I could find the strength to try tonight.

Bella was in the same spot I had left her in, only now her eyes were open and aware. I sat next to her.

"Look what I found. They look pretty ripe, so try to eat some," I said softly. I felt bad for being so immature earlier. I also hated admitting that it hurt my feelings when she pulled away from me in disgust. It wasn't my fault she was beautiful. It wasn't my fault my body reacted to her. She was the one who jumped on me, after all! But it still hurt that she obviously didn't feel the same.

She took the green fruit from me without even meeting my gaze. We peeled them as best as we could, and ate them quickly. She seemed a little better after putting something into her stomach, and I felt relieved. She looked at me with tired, drooping eyes. Her lips moved as if she were trying to say something, but kept changing her mind.

Finally, she spoke. "Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you," she mumbled, her expression full of gratitude and sincerity. I heard the double meaning in her words, and I smiled down at her red face.

"Anytime," I said. She smiled shyly and looked down at her peelings, then looked at the sky as the sun set quickly, leaving us in darkness.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered. I stared at her face for a few seconds before looking in the same direction. It was gorgeous, especially with nothing in the way of watching it, no lights or buildings, no skyscrapers to hide it from view. I realized that I had never actually watched a sun set, and was thankful for sharing this with her, even though I wasn't thankful for much else. At least I was glad I was alive, and Bella was alive, and I didn't have to go through this alone.

How ironic, that I never spent more than a few hours with a girl, yet here I was with a goddess that I would be with, likely for a long time. It was like fucking fate or some shit, that I was put here with a beautiful creature. Sure, she wasn't very happy with me right now, but I knew once she got to know me, the real me, not the hit-and-run-asshole I had been for years, she would probably like me, or at least be able to stand me. I wasn't that bad.

"Yeah, it is," I whispered after a few moments. Bella's eyes were drooping more, so I grabbed her discarded jacket and wrapped it up into a ball for her to use as a pillow. She thanked me again, quickly falling asleep. I felt bad that she had to sleep in the sand, but I knew we were both too tired to try to build anything and there was no light to do it with anyway. I walked over to my own tossed clothing, doing the same with them, falling asleep as soon as my head hit my makeshift pillow.

_I woke up to the sound of Bella's voice. Blinking the sleep out of my eyes, I looked up to her exquisite face just inches above my own._

"_Edward. Please, I need you. I want to feel you claim my body as yours over and over again. Please say you'll have me," she whispered breathlessly. My eyes widened, all sleep forgotten, and I looked down._

_She was already naked for me, her wet undergarments joining the rest of her clothes at the edge of the beach. My pants, the only article that I had kept on when we reached land, were still on. _

_But not for long._

_I attacked her plump lips, enjoying the softness that was her mouth. Her wavy hair was loose and soft as it fell against my shoulders and cheeks._

"_Bellaaaa" I moaned._

I jerked up quickly, sending sand flying everywhere. A dream? Really, a fucking dream? I get so close to being one with that sweet chick, just for it to not be real!

I groaned. Couldn't I have at least woken up _after _the good part? I looked around, still tired, my neck hurting from being in the same position for so long, and realized it was still nighttime, possibly around three in the morning. The moon was shining brightly, almost eerily, and I could make out Bella's curvy form a few feet away from me. Cursing, I got up and moved toward her, lying down next to her, about a foot away. I looked at her face as she slept, feeling a strange calm feeling come over me. She was so beautiful, it was almost hard to look at her. In sleep, she seemed twice as beautiful as she was awake, something I thought wasn't possible. She looked so peaceful, it was hard to be mad in the moment. Her pouty lips were begging to be kissed, but I didn't want to wake her up with my lips on hers. That would be a hard one to explain.

After a few minutes of watching her, I fell asleep again under the moonlight next to the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. The last thing I remembered was fighting the smile on my face as I drifted off.

**A/N: New Moon tomorrow night, my dears! Can we get to 34 reviews with this chapter? Please? Is that asking too much? I'm so excited for tomorrow!!! Review if you're going see the movie every day for the next week! God, I hope it's good! Even if it's not, we still get to see really really hot half naked men!**

**Review please! I love you guys, and reviewing makes me want to write faster!**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews and favorites! They mean the world to me! I've never had so many reviews on any story I've written. BTW, I now have a picture of the island that I picture Bella and Edward on. There's a link on my profile; you should all check it out--it's really beautiful. This month has been pretty nerve wracking because of New Moon (of course I enjoyed it!) and because I have a feeling my boyfriend is about to pop the question…but idk, since he's very unpredictable. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight!

Chapter Five

Bella

**I groaned for the fourth time in the last fifteen minutes. I'd woken up to the bright sun on my face once again, but I had large doubts that was the reason I woke up. The loud chainsaw of a man lying next to me seemed to be the culprit. Edward was snoring so loud that I couldn't even hear my thoughts. The only thing worse than listening to his racket was that his hands had somehow drifted to my hips over the night and latched on as if they were magnets. I tried hitting him away multiple times to no avail. Each time I tried pushing him away, he only gripped me tighter. We were still a few inches apart, only his hands touching me, but it was still aggravating me. When had he decided it was okay to sleep next to me anyway? I distinctly remembered falling asleep far away from him.**

**But whatever.**

_**It actually feels kind of nice. He has very nice, large hands. And those fingers--**_**Gah! I tried pulling away again, trying desperately to clear my thoughts. Edward grunted and pulled me back. I looked back at his angelic face, and I noticed that his mouth was hanging wide open.**

"**I swear, if you drool on me, things are going to get very ugly," I growled at his sleeping form. Then the strange guilt surged through me like it had the day before.**

**I knew I was being a bit unfair to him, and I did not really mean to be a bitch. And it wasn't just Edward. Ever since my heart had been broken in high school, men had become just that--men. I didn't date, protecting my heart. I had guy friends, of course, but nothing ever became more than that. My relationships stayed at a level where no feelings could be made. I tended to avoid good looking men so that I wouldn't become fond or hopeful, and I dedicated my life to my job. I was the definition of workaholic, and I had no intentions of changing, no matter how miserable I was.**

**And then this happened. I was stuck indefinitely with the most handsome man I'd ever come across. He'd saved my life. He brought me food when I was too weak to get my own. He'd taken care of me. I felt so horrible all over again. Feeling his erection when we were in the water had made me react for the worse, reminding me of how men were. They used women to get what they wanted, and only cared about themselves. I had met very few to prove my theory wrong. My first thought at feeling his attraction to me was that I had to treat him like I would treat any other. Because he was just like the rest.**

**Now I couldn't believe I had reacted that way. He had proven that he wasn't selfish or mean or any of the other characteristics I had deemed him to be. It was wrong of me to stereotype him. Just because he was good looking didn't mean he was an asshole.**

**I sighed and attempted to turn in Edward's hands. His grip had loosened by a fraction, his fingertips grazing the skin of my hip gently, and I was able to slightly lean towards him. He still did not wake, but his snores calmed down to heavy breathing. I stared into his beautiful, peaceful face. His skin was peeling, and he already had a light tan forming. His nose was a little red, but his cheeks were flaming, as I was sure mine were, too. His lips were full and pink, also peeling, but still seemed perfect. My hand unconsciously drifted to his face, my fingers softly tracing his bronze eyebrow and following around to the small shadows under his eyes. He smelled like salt and water, but I could still detect the light scent of honey about him. His hair was still a little wet, and I brushed a strand off his forehead, admiring him in secret. He could not know I was attracted to him. I would be damned if I was rejected by the only person within thousands of miles of me.**

**Suddenly a large smile appeared and stretched his features, showing his pearly white teeth. I gasped and before I moved my hand away, he spoke.**

"**Do you wake up most men like this?" he asked, opening his emerald eyes slowly, revealing he was indeed awake. My face lit on fire, and I looked away in embarrassment. He was having none of that, as he grabbed my face and pulled me back to him, making me meet his gaze. "Don't do that. Shut yourself away from me--it doesn't solve anything."**

"**I'm sorry. I think I'm just a little…delirious," I told him, "It's been a weird couple of days."**

"**Shit, you're telling me!" he said, and he laughed playfully. I eyed him in disbelief. He sighed at my cocked eyebrows.**

"**Bella," he started, "I know this is a bad situation, and I'm not exactly happy that we're here, but I don't think we should be completely miserable. I mean, look, we're alive! That should be something to be thankful for!" I looked away from him. He was completely right.**

"**You're right. I'm sorry," I said, "I just find it hard to be optimistic." Edward smiled, but then I guessed that brought pain to his face because it soon turned to a grimace. I could make out almost every little piece of skin that was coming off.**

"**You're peeling." I giggled. I hesitantly reached my hand back to his face, and he flinched slightly, but made no move to stop me. With my nails, I pulled off a few of the white strips. "I'm not hurting you, am I?" I whispered, hoping my breath wasn't **_**too **_**bad. **

**Edward chuckled. "No. Actually, I can barely feel my face. What about you?"**

"**Same. I bet that I resemble a tomato right about now," I said. He smirked crookedly, making my heart skip a beat.**

"**I would say you look more like a rose," he said.**

"**And I would say that you're delirious, too." Edward chuckled and stretched, wincing.**

"**Ugh, I have sand in my pants," he said, digging in his jeans to wipe a few bits of the white sand out. His white undershirt, the only thing he left on to cover his torso, rid up his body, and I got a great view of his lower abdominals, and fought the urge to gasp. I merely stared in awe, wondering what they would feel like under my fingertips and if they were as hard as they looked. Edward looked up after a few seconds and I shifted uncomfortably under his stare, realizing that when I moved, I could feel sand in my pants as well. I groaned. This was going to be really aggravating if I had to put up with this every night.**

"**What's wrong? You got sand in your pants, too?" Edward started howling in laughter at the little dance I did to get the damn sand out.**

"**Shut up," I said, and then laughed with him.**

"**You know, you could always take them off, then you wouldn't have to worry about-" I cut him off with my glare, and started to walk off in search of breakfast.**

"**It was just a suggestion!" he called after me. I rolled my eyes and continued.**

**Edward had gotten avocados for us last night, but I was curious to see what else this island had to offer. I knew there had to be fish, but, of course, if I tried to catch one, I would probably just hurt myself and starve. So it had to be fruit. The small jungle-like forest took up over half the island, so there had to be more than just avocados, right?**

**As much as I hated being here, I had to admit the island was the most beautiful place I'd ever been to. The water was clear blue, and then there was the pale white sand, and then came the green. And, boy, was it green! I had never seen a place so natural and beautiful. I could hear birds hooting and saw a few bugs as I entered the greenery. It was really shallow at first, just a few palm trees here and there, but I could see it thicken farther away. I wasn't afraid I would get lost since the island was so small. Plus, Edward would find me if I actually did. And if he didn't, then oh well. Just when I was starting to actually like him, he opens that big mouth of his and pisses me off again. If only I had some tape, we would get along so much better.**

**After a few minutes of wandering, I could hear Edward's footsteps behind me. I turned around to see him about ten feet away, frowning.**

"**Why are you following me?"**

"**Who said I was following you? I was simply admiring the plants. And this place is so small, how do you expect me not to run into you?" I rolled my eyes at him and continued on.**

"**Don't trip," he said, "I noticed you seemed accident prone on the plane."**

"**Will you shut up so I can find us some food?" I blushed in embarrassment yet again; I was hoping he wouldn't realize my greatest downfall--my clumsiness.**

"**Hmm, I don't know. That neck of yours looks pretty tasty. We could fry it," he said jovially. For some reason, what he said really scared me. If he were to fight me, I wouldn't stand a chance. I knew he was just joking, but what if eventually there were nothing left to eat but me? Would he kill me in a desperate attempt for food? I didn't know; people did crazy things when they were put in distressing situations like this.**

"**Bella? Bella! Hey, you know I was just kidding, right? I wouldn't do that to you," he said, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me out of my horrible imaginings. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He looked sincere in his apology, his godly face turning sad at the possibility that he had hurt me. Dear Lord, he was even more gorgeous with his eyes intense and his mouth in a tight line full of concern.**

"**No, don't be sorry. I--it's just…" I sighed, "I need food. I can't operate right now." Edward laughed at my foolish stuttering. I wondered if he knew he was the reason I couldn't think straight, and that food had nothing to do with it.**

"**Well, why didn't you just say so? You passed the path to the fruit trees fifteen minutes ago, Isabella," he said, pointing back to where we came.**

"**You knew there was food and you didn't tell me? What, were you just going to let me walk around for hours starving until you finally told me where to find it? And don't call me Isabella!" I said in disbelief. This man was going to drive me crazy. He just grinned innocently.**

"**Hey, I'm a doctor, not a guide," he said, turning around. Wait, did he just say doctor?**

"**Did you just say…doctor?" I asked. I ran to catch up to him.**

"**Yes, **_**Bella, **_**I'm a doctor. I followed in my father's footsteps. I save lives on a regular basis. You know, the usual," he said, looking back at me with a smile.**

**My mind literally did a flip. Edward was a **_**doctor?**__**Edward **_**saved lives? **_**Edward, **_**the man who had been making sexual innuendos and perverted jokes since we reached land? **_**Edward, **_**who was incredibly gorgeous and sexy and confident, was smart? And not just smart, but a **_**doctor?**_

"**You have got to be lying to me."**

"**Is it really so hard to believe? I swear to you that it is my occupation," he said. I simply gaped at him with my mouth wide open in shock. I quickly closed it before he could spew something perverted.**

"**Wow. I'm surprised," I said. He led me down a path that he must have taken the night before. **

"**You're wounding my ego," he said.**

"**Good." I turned to him and smirked, letting him see that I was joking. He shook his head in amusement, and we continued walking in silence until we finally reached food. We climbed a few trees together to reach the elevated fruits, and I laughed when he fell after grabbing a couple of coconuts and losing his footing. He landed on his back, his arms circling the giant brown orbs.**

"**Wow, Edward, your breasts are bigger than mine!" I cackled through my giggles. He looked down at the coconuts and wiggled them, making me laugh harder.**

**We ate a small lunch and ate the rest for dinner, planning to find more the next day. Edward flirted with me a bit, but I noticed he was starting to back off; I guessed he knew his jokes made me a little uncomfortable. He was sweet, too. He wouldn't let me get on any trees that looked particularly unstable, and he even sat down and attempted to start a fire. I was skeptical that he would be successful, and I went into the water to wash the sweat off of myself. We had about an hour of sunlight left, and I was terrified of going in the water in the dark.**

**After I washed the dirt and sweat off, I returned to find that Edward had actually gotten a little fire started. It certainly wasn't enough to make a signal to anyone flying over us, but it would definitely be enough to cook fish if we ever caught any.**

"**How did you do that?" I asked in amazement. He looked up at me when he heard me and straightened up. As he did, I noticed he had removed his undershirt. And he was sweaty, his muscles highlighted by the steamy liquid dripping down his chest and stomach. I froze and counted the abs on the perfect body before me. Six. Six tanned and beautiful abdominals coupled with a perfect face and legs. And to top it off, he had a light shade of stubble lining his jaw now, making him look even more delicious. His hair was in a disarray of bronze, making me want to run my fingers through the wild strands.**

**Edward snickered and moved towards me. "Boy scouts," he said, "I learned a lot of stuff. Won every badge, too."**

**I tried to picture a young boyish Edward with a blue uniform and hat, full of badges and high socks. I bet he swooned girls even then. I wondered what he looked like in his doctor gear, and I shivered.**

"**I'm sure you did. So, do you think you can get that fire bigger by any chance? So that someone can see us?" I asked, desperate to talk about something so I could focus on his face instead of his body. It didn't really help, though, because his face was just as gorgeous as the rest of him.**

"**I don't know. I'm sure if I add a little wood, it could escalate, but it's getting kind of humid out here, so the wood won't burn as good. I think we should wait until it's drier so that it will burn better," he said. I nodded. Edward looked around at the sky, a few clouds starting to form far away. The wind blew across us, causing a chill to run up my spine.**

"**I think a cold front may be coming in soon," he said. Then his face turned to fear, "Dear God, I hope it's not an early hurricane."**

"**I don't think so," I assured him, "It's probably just a little front. We'll have to watch out for the rain, though." Edward nodded and started to arrange his makeshift pillow, adding his undershirt to his other shirt to make for a better pillow. He sat next to the fire, and I joined him, drying my body with the heat. It was pleasant and peaceful.**

"**I wonder what my sister is doing," Edward spoke. I looked at him in alarm. The possibility of our families finding out about the crash hit me hard, and I couldn't believe I hadn't thought about it. Charlie and Renee would have no knowledge that I was alive. I frowned. They could have been giving me a funeral at this very moment.**

"**Do you think that they think you're dead?" I asked him. He sighed and put his elbows on his knees.**

"**Yeah. It's probably all over the news by now. And my sister's wedding is in four days," he paused. "I wonder if she'll still have it. I bet she's heart broken right now, thinking it's all her fault I got on the plane." He looked down at the logs that were burning. His green eyes were full of sadness and defeat.**

"**Hey, remember how you keep saying to be optimistic?" I said. He nodded without looking at me. "We're going to get out of here, Edward. We will not die here." Edward chuckled, and I was glad to have cheered him up, even if it was only by a little.**

"**I'm glad to see that you finally believe me," he said, looking at me once more. I rolled my eyes playfully and yawned. The fire was already starting to go out, and the sun had set, putting us in darkness again.**

"**I've never seen this many stars," Edward said quietly. I followed his gaze and saw what he meant. There were millions of them, and the moon was high in the sky. It was so beautiful, and I thought I saw a shooting star. The town lights back home were too bright to be able to see so far out, but now that there was nothing clouding our view, we could see every little burning white dot in the sky.**

**Edward laid back and not even five minutes later I could hear him snoring lightly. I laid back also, giving in to my exhaustion. It took me a few minutes to fall into a slumber, and while waiting for my mind to give in, I admired Edward's features outlined by the glow of the fire. I still secretly wondered if he was telling the truth about being a doctor, but he had been honest when he said he could make a fire, so I was starting to believe him. It was hard to comprehend that one person could be so perfect, though, and I had to meet him by being stranded with him on a deserted island. What did that say about me? Fate was trying to tell me something. I just didn't know how this would end. We would live, yes, I believed that. But at what costs?**

*******

**The next two days passed in the same order. We hunted for food in the early morning hours when the sun was not yet beating down on us, we ate a small breakfast near the shore, then we went looking for fish. Edward had come so close to catching a few, but they had gotten away from his pruned fingers before he could get a good hold on them. I suggested he stab them with a branch, but he said that would just be harder. Then we ate lunch under the small canopy of leaves we had found. There was a nice tropical breeze, and more clouds became present as the two days passed. Edward had managed to make a fire the second night, too, but the third night he'd had no luck, as the air was just too humid. We were expecting rain soon, and then once it passed, we could try to become rescued.**

**Edward still made little perverted jokes and remarks here and there, but they weren't as bad. I was really beginning to realize that he was just trying to cheer me up. And it was starting to work. I wasn't as depressed as I thought I would be. Actually, I was kind of starting to enjoy myself. I still wanted to go home, of course, but if I thought of this as an indefinite vacation, it wasn't bad.**

**And Angela had been right; I needed a vacation.**

**Things from the plane that floated had started to wash ashore the third morning. They were mostly empty boxes, but we found a few other things still inside some of them. I felt absolutely horrible when a man's shoe washed up, drenched and filthy. We figured it was one of the unlucky passengers, and I didn't want to look at it, knowing we had survived and they didn't. Edward took it out of my sight when he realized how bad it made me feel, and I hadn't seen it since that morning.**

**I was lying out one of the large, smooth rocks at the shoreline, thinking about my mother and father, when Edward called my name. I looked over at him, feeling the usual desire rip through my body at the sight of him. I would never get used to the way his tanned and athletic body looked when he moved. I could see every muscle and bone from his waistline and up, and as much as I hated that he brought out this side of me, I could not complain. He never put his shirt back on from the two nights before, claiming it was easier and more comfortable. I was extremely jealous, too, that he tanned so easily, and I was still pale and red.**

**He was carrying some sort of plant with an extremely large and thick leaf. I looked at it with wonder. When he came closer he handed it to me to feel.**

"**Bella, that's an Aloe Vera plant. You know…that stuff you buy at the store for burns? I nodded, recognizing the name. He continued, "Well, this is where that comes from. Watch, if I cut it…" he took the leaf back from me and ripped it in half. Juice started oozing out of the sides. He held it up to my face and silently asked permission. I nodded and he rubbed some of the gel on his hand and started running it on my nose and cheeks.**

"**This should ease the pain. Plus, it doesn't burn like that shit you girls use on your faces to get a good complexion," he said. I smiled and enjoyed the feel of his hands on my face. His hands were now rough and blistered, but they felt nice on my skin anyways. Edward and I both smelled like salt water now, but I could smell the hint of coconut on his breath. It was sweet and intoxicating, and I leaned in to him, not really conscious of what I was doing. He rubbed my back affectionately and said, "The clouds are coming in fast now. I think that front's going to come in tonight." I pulled back and looked at the offending sky. I hated the rain. And I was completely dreading it more since we had no real shelter. "We'll be okay. I don't think the wind should be too bad."**

**I looked out to sea, something I did every five minutes to check if anything was coming our way. I saw something floating not too far away and alerted Edward.**

"**What do you think it is this time?" I asked.**

"**Not another empty box, I hope. I'm getting sick of fetching those things," he said.**

"**It looks bigger than the others," I whispered, my voice full of curiosity of what might be floating towards us. Edward snorted and looked at me with mischievous eyes, and I realized what I said.**

"**Edward!" I pushed him away from me, and he snickered like a two year old. I was honestly getting over it, though. Each day that passed, I found I was getting more charmed by Edward. I tried to hide my smile as I hopped down from the boulder and walked towards the floating box. Edward stopped me, saying not to bother, and that he would get it. Ten minutes later, Edward came back with the large box.**

"**It's heavy!" he yelled, and put it down on the sand. The box said that there were breakable things in it, so we tried to be careful as we pulled it open. The smell of alcohol filled my nose when Edward wrenched the top off, and I realized what it was.**

**Edward whooped and pulled the wine bottles out one by one. Two of the bottles had shattered, making the whole box reek, but there were about ten others still unbroken. Five were red wine, and the other five were white wine. They looked expensive.**

"**I bet these were in the pilot's section," Edward said. "What do you say, Bella? How about we celebrate our survival?" He handed me one of the bottles, and opened the one in his hand, taking a swig. "Mmmm," he moaned at the taste. I stared at the bottle in my hands and debated. I'd never really drank before, unless I was at a wedding or a party, neither of which I'd gone to often. It had never been much, either. What if I got drunk and did something really stupid? Like pounced Edward?**

**He looked at me, sensing the doubt in my head, and winked. Edward would take care of me. He wouldn't let me jump in the ocean. And I would just have a little bit, not enough to become intoxicated. I smiled at him and handed the bottle to him to open. He expertly did so, holding up his bottle to my bottle for a cheers.**

**I giggled and mirrored his action. "To being alive," Edward said seriously with a slight smile. I repeated his words and we both took a sip. The wine was very good. I had never had anything as tasty and strong before. I took another sip.**

**Edward and I walked back to our sleeping area and started drinking more, and before I knew it, his bottle was almost halfway gone. **

"**Wow, I didn't know you could hold liquor so well," I said to him. He smirked at me and took another sip. He didn't seem drunk, but his eyes were starting to grow a bit unfocused.**

"**I'm bored," he said, "I guess I should put this down before I do something I'll regret." He sighed and put down the bottle. I had only taken a few sips, but I was already feeling the effects of the alcohol. I was buzzing, and the feeling was so strange, yet wonderful at the same time. My vision was starting to grow blurry, and I put my bottle down, too.**

"**I have to pee," I said, getting up. Edward chuckled.**

"**What's wrong, Bella, the alcohol's getting to you? Can't hang?" he said. I rolled my eyes and walked into the wood. It was extremely unsanitary, as I had no toilet paper, but this was just how we had been getting by. I refused to go in the ocean, where Edward could see me.**

**I came out and found Edward in the same spot I left him, but now he was lying in the sand, watching the clouds darken the sky. I went up to him and told him I was going to wash off before the rain came. He nodded and turned back to gaze upwards.**

**I went into the ocean, close to the first sandbar, happily watching my feet through the clear water. The current was getting rougher, and I could see the moon already even though it was only around six. The air was getting cooler, too, and I hoped we wouldn't become cold as the night grew. I rinsed myself off and started wadding back to the beach. When I was almost there, I felt a quick, sharp pain in my big toe.**

"**Ahhh!" I started wiggling my foot around, realizing a crab had gripped onto my foot and was not letting go. I saw my blood rushing up the water and nearly fainted. Every time I tried lifting my foot to get the damn sea creature off, he just pinched harder, and I screamed over and over.**

**Edward eventually heard me, and he came rushing to my aide.**

"**What is it?" he yelled with concern.**

"**My foot! A crab! My foot!" Edward bent down in the water and grabbed the crab, wrenching it from my foot, and as it came off, the crab's pinchers made a gash in my foot, causing me more pain. He emerged with the damn thing in his hand, holding it so that its pinchers were facing away from him. He saw the blood, and handed me the crab.**

"**Why are you giving me this?" I asked in disbelief. I just wanted to throw the crab, but before I got an answer from him, he swept me up bridal style and started carrying me back.**

"**You'll see," he said, and I sneaked a peek at his chest as he carried me. I was in so much pain, but the distraction was nice.**

**Edward set me down where he had been lying, and told me to keep the crab. I huffed but did as he said. He started prodding at my toes, and I winced.**

"**I have to make sure this doesn't get infected," he said. He carefully started pulling bits of sand out of the gash with his skilled fingers. I watched him as he worked, growing aroused at the way his hands felt on my skin. He was so gentle and careful, his touch sending sparks through my foot to the rest of my body. Suddenly, he grabbed the hem of my shirt and started ripping.**

"**What the hell are you doing?" I shrieked, looking down at his ministrations. He ripped a small strip of my shirt and wrapped it around my toes, tying it in place. It became bloody instantly, but the pain started to fade by a fraction.**

**I looked up at him and noticed my foot was still in his hand, his fingers caressing the pain away. He looked up at me and smiled crookedly. I blushed and tried to look away with no luck. It was like my eyes were magnets to his presence. He had a drop of water dripping down his neck, and I slowly brought my hand up to wipe it off softly.**

**Edward leaned into my touch, our faces a foot away. I saw desire in his eyes, and noticed my own reflected back at me. He hovered even closer to me, five… then four inches away. My lips parted instinctively, my heart beat speeding.**

"**Bella," Edward whispered. His eyes darkened and closed slightly.**

**My mind was whirling. **_**No. Yes. No. Yes!**_** Edward sighed and pulled away, looking defeated.**

**Rejection washed through me, hard and hurtful.**

**I immediately walked away, ignoring the pain in my toes. I walked all the way to the opposite end of the island and plopped down in the sand. Droplets of rain started to land on me, wet and cold. The breeze picked up more, and my wet clothes did not help the matter. I walked into the wood when it started pouring, trying to get warm and dry. There was no canopy on this side, so I got even more wet, my clothes soaked and clinging to me. I was a bit surprised Edward had not come looking for me, but I pushed the thought away from my mind.**

**I had been hurt once in my life, and I had made a vow to never let it happen again. Edward's small rejection brought back memories of how badly I had felt when I caught Eric, and I silently cursed the man I was stranded with.**

**Over the last few days, my crush had grown, and I thought it had been merely attraction. After all, how could I possibly grow feelings for someone so immature?**

**But he wasn't like other men I had met. He was kind and smart, funny and adventurous. I realized that two people could learn a lot from each other after just four days. And we'd been together twenty-four seven all four days. We always fell asleep a few feet away from each other, but always woke up in the same position--Edward holding me. It was like our bodies knew each other, even though our minds did not.**

**I roamed the wood, getting myself lost, for I could see nothing through the rain and leaves. My clothes were soaked through and through, and I knew if I stayed in them, I would face hypothermia. So I took them off, leaving only my bra and underwear on, and carried them with me.**

**I eventually fell and the pain in my toes came back full force as I tumbled to the wet earth and sand.**

"**Ow!" I yelped.**

"**Bella?" I heard a voice call. Edward had come looking for me after all. I saw his shadow approaching me swiftly, taking in my crumpled form.**

"**Bella, I have been looking for you for an hour! I was so worried!" he said, relief coloring his voice. He picked me up again and carried me back to the canopy where we had been sleeping the last three nights. I could see his breath, it was so cold, but his skin seemed warm at the touch. I didn't look at his perfection this time--I just tried to gain warmth.**

"**Are you okay?" he asked as he set me down. Water was still getting through the canopy of leaves, but not too much. It was fully dark now, and I was freezing. Edward noticed my shivering, half-naked body and sighed. I shrugged and blushed.**

**Edward stood up and grabbed his discarded shirt, pulling it over my head. It was miraculously still dry, and I gripped onto it for warmth. It didn't really help.**

"**Come here," Edward said to me. He laid down next to me and opened his arms. Any other time I would have refused to go to him, especially after our awkward almost-kiss, but I was freezing, and he had an amazing amount of body warmth. So I quickly embraced him, and he wrapped his arms around me. Our chests touched, and I felt myself slowly warming up. I mashed my face against his warm shoulder.**

"**Hey," Edward whispered. I looked up at his concerned face. "I'm sorry."**

**A/N: Awww. What a long chapter. I wasn't really planning on leaving it there but I'm starving and exhausted, so…I noticed no one answered my question last time about how to get this story in a community…I'm clueless. So, how about a review? Please? And please don't be mad about Edward pulling back. He had a good reason, which you will learn next chapter. You know Edward, always thinking too much…lol**

**Review Please!**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Wish I did. So can we get 14 more reviews with this chapter? Please?

Also, there is animal cruelty to a fish in this chapter, so if that offends you, tread lightly.

Chapter Six

Edward

I rubbed my fists against my biceps hard and fast, trying to create friction. I was freezing and soaking wet, the rain coming down so hard that it felt like falling bullets. But I had to find her.

I knew she wasn't intoxicated enough to jump in the ocean and drown herself, but it was extremely foggy, and with the rain coming down in sheets, I couldn't even see the shore, much less the water. The wind kept blowing in cold air, and I shivered for the millionth time.

I clasped my hands around my mouth, calling her name again.

"Bella!" I yelled. I didn't even know how long I'd been searching for her, but I knew it had been over an hour. I started to get worried when the rain and wind had picked up. Thinking she was just mad at me, I figured she would come back after shaking off a bit of steam. But after waiting a long ass time for her to come back, I started looking myself. The thunder echoed around the small island, the lightning illuminating the blackish gray sky.

I wrapped my arms around my torso, feeling my muscles ache with the dropping temperature. I had walked around the whole island twice now, and my stomach dropped to my pelvis at the possibility of her going into the water. I felt like such an asshole now after rejecting her kiss. I had been all for it; Bella's and my relationship had gotten so much better over the last few days being stuck here. I ceased most of my perverted jokes, instead throwing flirtatious winks and smirks here and there. We were together all the time, and I'd learned so much about her. She had the cutest mannerisms, from biting her lip raw to blushing the color of fire. When she did both together, I had to physically fight myself from kissing her. She was selfless, and she never wanted me to do anything for her. I ignored that demand, partly because I just wanted to help her and partly because I wanted her to see my good side. I was starting to think winning her affection was impossible, though. I wasn't sure if it was that she wanted me but didn't know for sure, or if she just didn't like me at all. Based on past experiences, I knew any other chick would have gladly responded to my advances, whereas Bella blushed and changed the subject, looking away from me. But I was quickly learning that Bella was nothing like other women.

So, when I went to kiss her and she didn't try to stop me, I was completely surprised. I wanted to kiss her so badly, and I felt sparks go off in my head when I saw that she wanted it, too. But then I had smelled the slight scent of alcohol on her breath, and I freaked.

An overwhelming sense to stop what I was doing came over me. I wanted her to be completely sober if and when we kissed. I wanted to be completely sober, too, not half-drunk after drinking half a bottle of wine. I could hold my liquor well, but I could feel a slight buzz, and I didn't want that. I wanted to remember this. I wanted she and I to both remember that particular moment in perfect detail. I wanted her to be completely willing; I did not want the alcohol to be the reason she kissed me. And I sure as hell didn't want her to regret this later on. It needed to be perfect, so I pulled away.

It was hard to explain this feeling. I guessed it was because I had never given two shits about the four women I had been with. I cared about Bella. There was something about her. Her realness, her innocence, the way she seemed so fragile, making me feel protective. Everything drew me in, and it was strange and comforting all at the same time.

She seemed hurt when I pulled away from her, and before I could do anything, she was gone. I did not follow her because I thought she had realized what she was doing, and regretted it once I pulled away, as if she had come to her senses. My presence definitely wouldn't help her if she were ashamed of herself for letting the alcohol lead her. Or she could have just been hurt, feeling rejected.

If the latter theory were correct, which I couldn't decide which would be worse, then I really was a total douche bag. What if she actually felt something for me? I had pulled away from her; what if that had been my only chance? I groaned in frustration.

_Where is she?_ I was not going in the ocean. That would just guarantee both our deaths. And if she were dead, then I would simply follow. I couldn't live stranded here alone. I wasn't going to live if Bella did not. Worry rushed over me again at these morbid thoughts.

_No, she's not dead. She can't be dead._ I repeated the words in my head, willing them to be true. Since I had already searched around the island twice, I decided to look in the small forest, hoping she had gone in there. I swore to God that if I could just find her, I would never make a nasty joke again as long as I lived.

I entered the sopping leaves, freezing from head to foot. If I didn't find Bella soon, she could face hypothermia! I still couldn't see where I was going because the forest was shallow at first, causing rain to come through just as much as it did in the open. I ran into a few trees, tripping here and there, before I was protected slightly by the high trees and their giant leaves.

"Bella!" I called again every few minutes. Before long, I was deep into the forest, almost halfway, and my feet were killing me. They felt raw from stepping on the twigs and the wet mud made the bottom of my feet slippery and sensitive. I wiped the water out of my face, hearing the thunder clap again.

I had almost given up when I heard a loud "Ow!" over the deafening rain. Thank goodness!

"Bella?" I yelled. I could just make out her slight silhouette ten feet away from me. She was on the ground, trying to push herself up. I rushed over and helped her, suddenly realizing with a jolt that she was nearly naked. _Why did she take her clothes off? _I wondered. I assessed her quickly, making sure she was all in one piece. I tried to avoid the sight of her delicious curves and the way her small waist held onto the straps of her panties. It didn't work; my eyes kept wondering to the same places.

I grew slightly angry when I saw that she was okay. Did she have any idea how worried I was? "Bella, I have been looking for you for an hour! I was so worried!" She said nothing, merely sitting up, not looking at me. She didn't seem to be in danger of hypothermia, and I realized that was why she had taken her clothes off. I knew she must have been freezing, though, so I picked her up and brought her back to our spot, ignoring the way her bare skin felt on my fingers. Her skin wasn't cold, but her fingers felt like ice, and I could feel her cold breath on my chest.

We arrived under our little canopy, and I set her down carefully. She was shivering hard, the goose bumps on her arms resembling a breakout of hives. I asked if she was okay and she shrugged. She still hadn't said a word to me, and I was growing worried.

I put my dry shirt over her and pulled her to me. We could give each other body warmth, but I worried that she wouldn't want me to even touch her after what had happened. Surprisingly, she clutched me back, causing me to flinch at the cold, wet fabric of her bra. But I would put up with it if it helped her. I could feel her starting to warm up, and her breathing was evening out, signaling sleep. Glad that I had actually done something right after fucking up earlier, I did the only thing I could at the moment--apologize. She looked at me with sad eyes, and I felt even more horrible until she smiled lightly and returned her head to my chest, falling asleep. I grasped her cold hair and scalp. How did women sleep with wet hair anyway? Bella's hair was so long and thick, soaking up so much. It had to make her twice as cold.

The wind and rain didn't hit us as hard here under the trees, but the parts of me that weren't touching Bella felt numb. I couldn't feel my back and my pants were soaked through; my ass was like a small glacier connected to my body. I didn't fall asleep for another hour.

When I woke up the rain had stopped, but it was still dark. The sun was starting to rise, and the wind had slowed down, too. I was still cold and wet, but it was bearable, certainly not as bad as the night before. I looked down at Bella, seeing that we had not changed positions during the night. If anything, we had moved closer to each other. She had unraveled from the tight ball she had contorted herself into last night, and I could feel her toes on my calves. Her arms were still wrapped around my waist, her face in my right shoulder. She was so close that I couldn't see her face, and her hair was all over; I kept having to spit strands out of my mouth. I ran my fingers over the silky skin of her shoulder blades. Her bra had been white when we first arrived on the island, but now it was turning into a darker, murky color from all the dirt and water she had been in the last week.

I wished that I had a razor, or at least a scissor, to cut of the small beard I was growing. I remembered my teenage years when I had so desperately wanted to look more masculine, looking in the mirror every night and willing my face to grow hair. Now I just wished it would stop. After shaving nearly every day for years, this scruffiness was driving me fucking insane.

I looked down, getting a better view of Bella's body. She had insisted time and time again that it wasn't possible for her to tan, but I could plainly see that her skin had gotten darker. I traced a beauty mark on her shoulder softly, hoping that she would wake up soon. I guessed that it was around four in the morning, so there was little chance she would join me soon; I closed my eyes and fell asleep again.

I awoke about two hours later, the sound of birds chirping was my alarm clock. Bella was still asleep, but her eyelids fluttered as moved my head to look at her face. With a sigh, her eyes opened, giving me a perfect view of her round brown eyes. She stared at me with wonder before her eyebrows came together in confusion. Then she looked down at herself.

"Why am I almost naked?" she asked, surprisingly calm. I chuckled.

"Er, you fell asleep that way," I said. Her eyes widened before understanding dawned on her.

"Oh," she said. I guessed she was remembering what had taken place yesterday. She bit her lip, and I internally groaned, pulling her bottom lip from her teeth before I went more insane.

"If you keep doing that, your lips are going to fall off," I said. She rolled her eyes and got up, retreating from my embrace. I got up, too.

"I should find my clothes," she muttered. _I beg to differ,_ I thought. She stretched; I stared. She turned her head and smirked at me, as if she knew what she was doing to me. Then she skipped off.

_Did Bella just tease me?_ No, there was no way. Bella never did anything like that. Then again, I'd only known her a week. Well, that was just one thing I could add to the list--Bella could be kinky if she wanted…or she could just be punishing me for my rejection yesterday. Either way, she was being sexy, and I wasn't going to complain. I followed, not even attempting to ignore the way her hips swayed.

Bella found her shirt and pants, but they were still soaking wet, and she decided not to put them back on, as it was still chilly. The sun warmed up the air a bit, but I was fearing what would happen when it went down again.

We walked back to the shoreline, and Bella sat back on her rock. The air was dry enough for me to make a fire again, so I started looking for wood. Unfortunately, the wood was damp, but it would still burn. I got it started and put our clothes next to the fire, hanging them on an erected stick so they could dry. Hours passed, and I was starving, looking at Bella eat the fruit she had picked earlier. I was growing sick of the food. A nice, juicy steak would be perfect at the moment. When she peeled the banana and proceeded to enter it into her mouth, I couldn't take it anymore, and walked towards the water, grabbing a long stick along the way. Bella laughed when she saw what I was planning to do. I glared at her, and that just made her giggle more.

"Do you have a better plan? Or do you just want to eat that shit for the rest of the time we're here?" I gestured at her offensive banana. She merely laughed again, the movement making her breasts jiggle. I turned around quickly, but the sight was forever burned in my brain. I tried looking for swimming fish, and I figured that it would be easy since the water was so clear, but I had no luck. Bella laughed more at my frustration, and I couldn't help but replay the scene in my head, fighting the urge to look at her again.

I trotted into deeper water until I was up to my thighs. I looked around carefully, observant of everything that moved in the water. I saw a swish of something and crazily leapt toward it. I looked down at what I caught in my hands; it was definitely no fish, just a bunch of purplish seaweed. I groaned and threw it down when I heard Bella snort from a little ways behind me. I looked back and saw that she was a few feet away in the shallower part.

"Oh, you think you can do any better? Why don't you try to catch us dinner, huh?" I asked playfully. She looked at me like I was crazy.

"And get pinched again?" she said, gesturing at her hurt toes. "I don't think so, Mr. Sexter."

"You're just chicken," I egged her on.

"And you just want me to do it for you," she said. I laughed.

"I wouldn't mind fixing your toes again," I told her smugly. If she tried to kiss me again, I definitely wouldn't refuse. She made a _hmpf_ sound and started walking back. I walked into deeper water, looking for the swish of a tail or bubbles breaking the surface.

I saw a few fish eventually, none of which looked appetizing, but I wasn't going to pass up the chance. For nearly an hour I made a fool of myself jumping and swatting, trying to catch just one. When I was about to give up, I saw a medium-sized founder scurrying away from me. I yelped in excitement and tried hitting it with the stick, knowing there was no chance I was quick enough to stab it. I kept trying to hit the fish until Bella rushed over to me yelling.

"Don't do that! You're going to hurt it!" she screamed, finally reaching me and taking the pole from my hands. We looked at the flounder that was nearly dead from my beating. I grabbed the battered fish and looked at her incredulously. We were going to eat it anyway! Why did it matter how I killed the damn fish? She looked at me with horror. I realized she thought I was never going to catch one, otherwise she would have stopped me.

"That's cruelty to animals, Edward! I can't believe you did that!" she said breathlessly.

"Bella, it's a fish. A fish that would die regardless, no matter how I killed it. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of eating mushy fucking fruit!" I said, holding the fish out to her. She looked at it sadly, and I could see tears in her eyes. I felt like such an asshole taking in the sight of her pity, and I even started to feel bad for the fish.

I sighed sadly. "Do you want me to let it go?" I whispered to her. I felt like such a pussy, giving in because this girl seemed to control my feelings, but I knew that I would do anything she told me now. This girl--the only girl in the world as far as I was concerned--had me wrapped around her finger in less than a week. She just had to say the word, and I would do as she said.

Bella sighed, too, and said, "No, it's going to die anyway after hitting it so many times. May as well fry it." And with that, she walked away from me back to her rock. I followed her, bewildered at the fact that she could be so compassionate one second and indifferent the next. I passed a crab along the way and decided to pick it up, too.

"Hey, I think I found the culprit from yesterday," I said, smiling. She turned around and saw the crab in my hands. "You think it's the same one?" I could see a smile forming on her face. "Do you mind if we eat this one?" I almost expected her to object after what she'd just done with the fish, but she surprised me again by saying, "No, I think he deserves the death penalty after he tried to pull my toe off." I smiled and shook my head at her absurdness.

Bella

I sat back down on my rock, watching the sea as Edward rebuilt the fire to cook the fish and boil the crab. He had found an empty coconut shell that we had split in half, and he put fresh water from a large puddle made by the rain in the makeshift bowl. He built a figure made of sticks to hold the coconut pot over the fire, and put the crab in it to boil. He was very handy, but obviously not good at catching fish.

In the morning after remembering what had happened between us the day before, I decided not to make it awkward for us by ignoring him. Instead, I pretended as if nothing happened, and it was working until he mentioned fixing my toes up again. I fought the urge to stick him the finger, and walked off. That was another thing that was bothering me. I found myself winding down; I guessed it was because I had never been away from work this long, and my playful side was starting to come out after being hidden for so long. I had certainly never wanted to stick the finger at anyone. I was so used to being the perfect employee who worked even when off the clock. I was experiencing a big change, and I _hated _change. Change was different, it wasn't a guarantee, and it wasn't always safe. It was either that I really did need a vacation, like Angela said, or it was that Edward was rubbing off on me. I hoped it was the former. I didn't want a man to be the one who changed me. I'd gone through that already, and even though Eric and I hadn't been very intimate and what you would call 'in love,' it hurt all the same, especially when I had to alter my life again after our breakup. I would die a virgin, and I was okay with that. Well, I had been before I met Edward. I couldn't figure out what my problem was at first, but I had an epiphany. Edward's jokes irritated me because I _wanted_ him. And I had never wanted anyone that way before, so it was all so confusing to me. And I got mad when he joked with me because it was like he was throwing it in my face that I couldn't have him. Maybe my logic was wrong, but it was all I had. Every time he moved, I couldn't help but stare at the way his muscles tensed. I loved admiring his abdominals when he wasn't looking. His legs, too, were so muscular, even through the jeans he wore.

Yep, something was definitely happening to me. Before coming here, I had never allowed myself to think those thoughts, but now it was becoming my favorite hobby.

I looked over at Edward 'cooking,' for lack of a better word. He had hung the fish with moss over the fire, and the crab was boiling in the coconut shell. He was poking the fire with another stick. He caught me looking at him, and he smiled. I smiled back. The incident with the fish had blown over, and I forgave him. I felt a little ridiculous because he had been right; it was a fish, and we were going to eat it. I had respect for all forms of life, but it had been wrong of me to chastise him the way I did. We didn't exactly have the utensils or the time for me to be picky and overly caring. I knew I would have to start overlooking some things. That included sleeping half naked next to Edward.

I was so uncomfortable in just my underclothes, but I tried to hide it. Edward was being good about it, though. He didn't ogle or make fun of me for that, and he was making an attempt to dry my clothes.

He surprised me when he offered to put the fish back when I threw a fit. I didn't think he would put my feelings before his own, but he did.

I constantly had to stop myself from hoping.

Hours later, when the sun was starting to go down once again, signaling our seventh day here, Edward called for me to go eat. I had been wandering around the island a little more, trying to find things that may have washed up after the storm. I looked up at Edward sitting on my rock, gesturing at what he had set out for us. I walked closer to get a better look and saw that he had gone all out.

He used large leaves as plates that held slices of cooked fish. Somehow, he had cut them into bite size pieces. The crab sat in the middle of us, red and dead. A little fire was right next to the crab; it served as a candle, burning on a few twigs and red leaves. There were avocados on each side of our plates, already peeled and ready to eat. I saw that we each had two large coconuts with the juice in them. My mouth watered and I looked up at Edward in awe. He had done all of this for me?

"Did you really do all of this for me?" I whispered. It was so sweet, and so much better than what we had done the last few days. He had put so much work into this, and I had done nothing to help. I felt really bad for fussing him, and promised myself I would let him decide everything from here on out.

Edward simply smiled at me and turned my coconut cup around. I saw that he had carved the name 'BEllA' into it with a rock, and saw that his own said 'ED.' I giggled and he said, "You know, so we don't mix up the cups and drink after each other."

I looked at him again, and he looked so beautiful with the fire highlighting all the strong angles of his face. It was such a romantic moment, and I couldn't help but feel giddy inside.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to catch your cooties," I said, sitting down across from him. We ate in a comfortable silence, but I kept catching him looking at me. He was looking at my face, so it was okay. We split the crab in half; I had one claw, he had the other. He didn't know how to peal, and I had grown up peeling seafood and eating it, so I had to show him.

When we were finished, I tried to get up and clean everything, but Edward grabbed my hand quickly and asked me to walk with him. I looked into his smoldering green eyes and nodded. We walked along the shoreline, and the moon and stars were making their presence as the sun went fully down. It was beautiful, and the sea was a little rough, but definitely nothing like it had been the night before. It was a perfect night, and I was next to the perfect man. It felt like something from a dream, something every girl wished for. We walked at the edge of the water, our feet making prints in the wet sand.

I was starting to get a little chilly, and Edward noticed when I shivered. He grabbed my hand and put an arm around my shoulders. A few minutes later we stopped walking, and I followed his gaze, looking at the stars. We stayed like that for a moment, just admiring the night sky.

"Beautiful," Edward whispered so low, I thought I'd misheard him. I turned to him and saw that he was looking at me, not the sky. I blinked, thinking if I reopened my eyes, I would wake from this perfect dream. But when I opened them, he was still there. This was real.

Edward turned me so that I was fully facing him, and he took my hands in his own.

"Bella," he said softly, "I want you to know that…even though being stranded on a deserted island isn't generally seen as a good thing…" he paused and leaned toward me, "I'm glad to be here with you. I don't regret this. Please tell me that you're not miserable here. That I've succeeded in making you as happy as you can be in this situation."

I debated what to say, but then thought that I should just say what came from my heart. I always thought too much, and it was time to change that. Edward deserved to know the truth, not an edited version.

"Edward, I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I was suffering here. To tell you the truth, this is the most fun I've had in years! I was…broken before this, and I never allowed myself to heal properly. I'm becoming a better person, and it's not because of the situation or everything I've been through the last week. It's because of you. You are so different from anyone I've met. If you weren't here, and I were here alone, I would probably just hang myself from one of those trees. Honestly, I don't want to go back…not if it means losing you in my life. I--I don't know what this is, but I know it's something good, and I haven't had anything good in my twenty-two years of living. You are like my sun in the middle of a storm. I must sound crazy, but it's true--you're changing me…" I trailed off, hoping he didn't think I was a lunatic. I looked at my feet.

Edward took my face in his hands and tilted it so that my eyes met his. There was fire in them, and he looked more gorgeous than ever before.

"I--," he started, but stopped. He swallowed and tried again. "Bella, I--" but he cut himself off, mashing his lips to mine roughly. I was shocked for a second, but quickly responded by gripping his soft hair, hope be damned. There was nothing soft about our kisses. It was erotic and romantic, and I felt myself grow hot with need. I gripped him harder, and he responded by trailing his hands down from my jaw to my collarbone, lightly over my breasts and to my hips. His tongue traced my lips, begging for entrance, and I gave it to him. He tasted like honey, and I never wanted to stop, but we were both running out of breath, and he pulled away from my lips, kissed me once more chastely, and put his forehead against mine.

He lifted one hand and traced my left cheekbone with two fingers gently. "Bella…" he said. "Beautiful…"

A/N: Whew what a chapter! I hope you guys like this one! We're at 51 reviews right now…can we get to 65 with this one? Please? It's just 14 reviews! : )

Oh, and I've never written a lemon before, and I feel like one is coming up, so if any of you have any ideas for their first time or want to write it yourself, let me know. It's not really my thing.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Wow, I got over 20 reviews last chapter! Just…wow! I've never gone over 13! Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters, just this here little story line.

I also made up a name for the airline Edward and Bella were on.

This chapter is really depressing at first. I nearly cried so many times writing it.

Chapter Seven

Jasper

I cradled Alice in my arms as she sobbed uncontrollably. Her tiny frame shook violently, and I could feel the horror and sadness coming in waves not only from Alice, but also from everyone in the hotel room.

We had been walking into the lobby after lunch in one of the most fabulous restaurants in Paris when we saw the television headline. It was in French, of course, but the pictures said it all. I thought nothing of it at first, but when I heard Esme gasp, a feeling of dread coursed right through me, as if I knew something bad had happened without knowing what exactly it was. My feeling was right.

Esme walked straight up to the television, her hand outstretched, fingers reaching toward the button. I hadn't noticed we had followed her until we were right next to her. The TV was high on the wall, too high for Esme to reach the buttons. Pictures of a model plane crashing into water flashed on the screen, and I knew what my fiancée's mother was searching for--the flight number. I looked for it myself as Carlisle turned up the volume for his wife, though the newscaster spoke only in French. Alice spoke the language fluently now, but I had only learned how to say a few things, just the basics. I didn't pay the man on the television any attention, however, as I kept looking for the flight number. I didn't know what plane Edward had gotten on, and certainly not the flight number, but I knew Alice did.

"Flight 1107," Esme whispered, "Voyage Airlines." I looked down at her; her hands were still raised, shaking slightly, a tear escaping her right eye. She stared at the screen for a few moments before looking at Carlisle. He was staring at the screen, too, but met his wife's gaze. His face was pale white, and he looked as if he were made out of stone. I heard Emmett's breath catch behind me, and I felt like the world had crashed down on me as realization hit. Edward. All I could think of was the crooked smile and the messy bronze hair that I had seen what seemed like so few times. The crooked smile and messy bronze hair that I would never see again.

Finally, I turned to Alice, who was staring at the TV screen. Her pink little lips parted, and the most agonizing, heart-wrenching sound escaped her chest. She collapsed, but I caught her before she could reach the floor, and she gripped my collar roughly, yanking me to her. I picked her up, nestling her head into my shoulder, and looked at my new family. Rosalie was comforting Emmett, rubbing his back as he gaped at the screen of the television. Carlisle was holding Esme, his hands gripping her elbows as she shook her head over and over again.

I turned away from them and carried Alice to our hotel room. She started sobbing and chanting Edward's name over and over again, throwing in what sounded like "my brother," but she was so hysterical, I couldn't tell. I set her on the bed and held her close, running my hands through her hair.

I heard Carlisle's cell phone ringing on the table in the suite's kitchen. He must have left it there accidentally when we left for the restaurant. I wondered who could be calling, wondered who else back in the states knew that it was Edward's plane that had gone down. I noticed how everything seemed to play out in slow motion, as if my mind was shielding itself from thinking about Edward's death, instead focusing on things that surrounded it.

Edward's death. My brain didn't want to comprehend it, even as I held my broken wife.

That was how we had all come to the hotel room. Carlisle and Esme had followed us, then Emmett and Rose shortly after. Rose turned the television on in the bedroom, but the only person who was watching it was Esme. Silent tears trailed her face, but other than that, there was no sign of stress on her face.

Carlisle's phone kept ringing; obviously, someone wanted to get a hold of him. He picked it up from the table and stared at it for a second, probably debating whether he wanted to talk to anyone. Finally, on the third ring he flipped the phone open, took a deep breath, and said, "Hello?" His voice was lifeless, not the calm or happy tone I had grown used to.

He looked at Esme on the floor as he listened to the other person on the line. Emmett walked over to him, seeming hopeful. Carlisle turned to him and mouthed "air-port". Then everyone looked at Carlisle and paid attention, hanging onto his every word. He didn't say much to the man on the phone, but when his face scrunched up and he sank to his knees, we all knew there was no hope. He hung up saying, "Thank you, officer. No, that won't be necessary. Goodbye," then he looked up first at Emmett, then at Esme, shaking his head. His gaze dropped to his knees, and his voice broke as he said, "No known survivors."

Alice howled. Emmett sat down, buried his face between his knees and gripped his hair. Rosalie sat next to Emmett. Esme looked back at the television and whispered, "My baby. My Edward." This was supposed to be such a happy time; Alice and I were finally getting married.

Apparently, we weren't going to get married after all. There was no way Alice would want to have the wedding right after her brother's death, especially when his absence at the ceremony would just be another awful reminder. It was no use thinking about that know; Alice needed me, and whether she decided to have it or not to have it, I would stand by her decision, and help her get through this horrid time.

***

Eventually, everyone returned to his or her own hotel room. I had never seen Carlisle so frustrated; people were calling him every minute--friends of the family, coworkers, even people Edward had gone to college with. At first, he only answered the calls that were from family members, but then he just couldn't take talking about it anymore. None of us could stand having a conversation about what had happened. No one spoke of a funeral or anything, but Carlisle said there was to be a ceremony held for all the passengers that had been on the plane a week from today, so instead of getting married that day, we would be mourning. Throwing a private funeral would be up to Esme and Carlisle.

So, I sat on the bed in which we were supposed to consummate our marriage, holding Alice, whose sobs had momentarily stopped. I kissed her forehead and caressed her hair gently.

"I think we should have the wedding in October. That should give us roughly two months to get everything back in order and to…to heal," she whispered after a few minutes of silence. October seemed rather soon to have the wedding. Alice had wanted to have an August wedding, since the weather was nice, and I wanted her to have it the exact way she wanted.

"October, Honey? That seems a little soon. I thought you wanted an August wedding. We can always wait until next year. There's no rush," I told her. She shook her head and looked up at me.

"No, Jazz. I'm so ready to be married, and I would like to start having children next year. If we get married next year, I'll have to replan everything, and I don't want to be the woman who has kids right after marriage. I want there to be a year gap in between so that we have time to enjoy our married life," she said, speaking so fast that I had to pay extra attention. I nodded at her logic, even though I thought she may be making the wrong decision, but Alice never seemed to regret anything she did, and it was her choice, after all.

"Okay, Sweetheart, we can do whatever you want," I said. She sighed.

"Edward never got to experience this. He'll never get to fall in love, get married, and bring my little nieces and nephews into the world. It really makes you think…It makes you want to cherish what you have and never take anything for granted," Alice whispered, a fat tear rolling down her cheek. "I love you, Jasper." She pulled me to her and kissed me softly, putting so much love into it. I felt her pain, and when she pulled back, she looked so tired and sad, I wished that I could go back in time and make Edward get on the same plane as Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie. I traced the small dark bags under her eyes with the tip of my finger, and looked at the clock. It was in military time, but I translated it to be two in the morning. Deciding that there was nothing more to do, and knowing that Alice wouldn't eat anything, I put her in the humongous bed and willed her to sleep.

But I knew she wouldn't. None of the Cullens would.

***

The ceremony for the people on the plane was held in Washington, D.C., and the families of the dead were asked to bring a photo of the person who had died. Esme brought a picture of Edward from a party they had thrown when he had made it into med school, and it was put above his engraved name next to all the others. There were so many people at the ceremony, about two hundred and fifty. It was the biggest funeral I had ever seen, and quite a few people got up to say something about their passed beloveds. The pilot's picture was at the very top of the names, and people from the airport got up and apologized for what had happened. Esme was a complete mess, and I noticed that she had lost weight. Carlisle was thinner, also, and he had taken more time off from the hospital, but he looked so tired all the time. We had been staying at Emmett and Rose's place in New Jersey, but it was so crowded that we decided to go to Chicago with Esme and Carlisle after the funeral.

Afterwards, when the "reception" began, families began to converse, and Esme started talking with a woman named Renee and her husband Charlie. The couple had also lost a child, a daughter named Isabella who was almost Edward's age.

"Oh, she's so beautiful," Esme said as Renee showed her a picture of "Bella".

"Yes," Renee said, tears running down her face, "She was so sweet, too. I remember the first time she realized her father's career was hazardous. She would stay up late just to see that he came home okay. She was so selfless, and she would have made such a good mother. I don't think she was ever a child." She wiped her face and smiled softly. "She never really found her place in the world, though. And now she'll never have the chance." Her husband wrapped an arm around her shoulder and whispered something in her ear.

"My Edward didn't really fit in, either. He was always a bit of a loner, and I thought for a while that there may be something wrong with him, but I know it was just that he hadn't quite found anything to live for," Esme's voice also shook with her own tears.

"I wonder if your son and our daughter talked at all while on that plane. It's strange to think about it, isn't it? That your son could have been the last person to see my daughter…I wonder if they even met. I wonder if they may have even tried to help each other," Renee said.

Esme smiled and said, "They would have made such a cute couple!" The two women giggled at this like teenagers.

Esme, Carlisle, Charlie, and Renee all talked for a while longer before exchanging phone numbers, and we left to go home.

It was a sad day, and I knew things were not going to be normal for a while. Just looking at Alice sitting down at the counter, looking a tad bit frumpy and drinking a beer--she hated beer--I could tell our life had hit a major bump in the road. But as long as we had each other and our family, we would get through this.

We would be okay.

A/N: Sorry about the short chapter…I just didn't want to go from blasé in the USA to romantic in the Atlantic. Haha, that rhymed. Okay, corny, I know…So you got a look into what is going on with the families…Review? Please? Can we get to at least 87 with this chapter? I would absolutely love 90! That's just 15 reviews! Next chapter will go back to Edward and Bella :D

Until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I loved the response to last chapter! This chapter is a lot happier. There are a few flashbacks in this chapter, and they are italicized to avoid confusion.

Twilightmecrazii was my 100th reviewer! How cool is that?

4Ever inspired this chapter with her amazing idea! Enjoy!

Chapter Eight

Day Ten Stranded

Edward

I woke with a start, Bella's voice serving as my alarm. The weather had warmed greatly compared to the night of the front, and now it was rather enjoyable—not too hot, not too cold. The only thing I didn't enjoy was that Bella's clothes had dried.

This was my favorite time of the day, my most enjoyable moments of being on the island—waking up and watching Bella sleep. It was always so funny to watch and listen to her. The best time to watch her was early in the morning, when she was about to wake up, because if she were too deeply asleep, no words would escape her lips. The first time I had discovered that she talked in her sleep was the morning after our first kiss, the best morning I had ever had, as far as I was concerned. She had said my name repeatedly, and it woke me up. I thought she had been trying to get my attention, but when I looked at her, her eyes were closed and rolling behind their lids.

_"Edward," she said. She sighed happily, and then moaned my name again. That definitely got my full attention and made me wide awake._

_ What is she dreaming? I wondered. Then her face turned sour, and she said, "Damn crab…cock blocking crab."_

_ I gasped in astonishment at her mention of the word "cock". Bella always seemed so proper and I never heard her curse. Now I really wanted to know what she was dreaming. She turned over in my arms and quieted._

_ When I asked her what she had been dreaming about, after she woke up, she merely blushed and asked what made me think she was dreaming anything special. I just shrugged and said she seemed fitful in her sleep. She chuckled and blushed more._

Three days had passed since our first kiss. We were starting to get along perfectly, and she was finally opening up to me. I learned that her full name was Isabella Marie Swan, and that she had been born in Phoenix, Arizona, but grew up mostly in Jacksonville, Florida, where she had gone to college and started working for a magazine company. She had almost no confidence in herself, yet she had accomplished any and every thing she had set her mind to. Her favorite food was pork roast with rice, and it reminded me of her—simple and a classic, not to mention tasty.

I stole kisses from her every chance I got, and when provoked, she could be quite the flirt herself. The eighth day of being stranded wasn't as bad as I thought it would be; if someone had told me before I got on the plane that I was going to get stuck on a deserted island and actually enjoy myself, I would have deemed him or her crazy. But it was the same day as my sister's wedding, and Bella could tell something was wrong.

_She traced the furrow of my brow gently, asking me why I seemed so upset._

_ "Today was supposed to be my sister's wedding," I said sadly, trying to rein in my feelings, for I did not want Bella to misconstrue them._

_ "Oh," was all she said. She tried to get up, probably thinking I wanted privacy, but I grabbed her leg and pulled her back down._

_ "What do you think they are doing right now, Bella? Your family?" I asked her. She sighed and looked at the sand, tracing hearts into it._

_ "I don't know, Edward. I try not to think about it because I know that they are sad, but I will be with them soon, so when the day comes that we are together again, I will try to make it up to them. I guess I just think there's no point worrying about it; worrying doesn't change anything. I just want to focus on getting back to them," she said. I agreed with her—worrying did not help at all._

_ "I just feel like I ruined my sister's wedding day with my supposed death," I said. "And I was supposed to call my mom when I got off the plane. She must have been so worried."_

_ "Edward, when your sister sees that you are alive, the last thing she will be thinking about is her wedding. I'm sure of that. And your mom will forgive you," Bella said. I smiled at her and pulled her to me, kissing her cheek and making her giggle. I loved that I could make her this carefree._

The idea of my family's suffering still bothered me, though, and I wondered if perhaps anyone had sent a helicopter to search for survivors. I doubted they even knew where the plane had crashed, since it sunk so quickly, but there was still a little chance that hope wasn't lost, right?

And what would happen when we were found? I would go back to Chicago and Bella would return to Jacksonville? I shuddered at the thought. No, I would make sure we could be together somehow. I knew it was absurd, but after being with her 24/7 for ten days, I knew I could never be without her again. Sure, my life wasn't bad; I had money, I had my family, and I was a well-sought after bachelor. But being here on the island had changed me. Bella had changed me. Something just told me that if I returned to the money, my family, and the popularity without her, I would be twice as miserable as I had been before I met her.

An old friend I'd had in college dated a girl for two years until she broke it off with him. He had been depressed, and, thinking nothing of it, I told him that he had lived happily without her for twenty years, and he could just go back to the way his life was before her. I thought it was no big deal, and I couldn't understand why he was still so depressed over her. But I understood now. Once a man had a taste of happiness, the kind of happy that money couldn't buy, he wouldn't want to let go of the reason for his joy…wouldn't be happy ever again without it, no matter what he had to make up for it. That was how it was with Bella. I wondered how it would be to take Bella on a real date, to a restaurant…to have her sleep next to me in a bed, to wake up next to her and not have to scrounge for our own food every morning. To make love to her. My head spun at the last thought. I'd never made love to a woman, and I'd certainly never woken up next to any. Could a man make love to someone even if he didn't love her? How did a man know when he was in love anyway? Did he just realize it at a specific time? Did a light bulb go off in his head? I knew I wanted to fall in love with Bella. Did that mean I was already in love with her?

_Ugh. This is so confusing,_ I thought, _and I don't think it's possible to make love if you're not in love…_

What I had done with those few girls in my life could definitely not be classified as making love, and I suddenly wished I had never had any casual sex. I was drunk three of the four times anyway, and couldn't remember most of what I had done. But in all reality, I didn't know one twenty-four year old man who was still a virgin. I looked over at Bella's sleeping form, wondering if she had ever… Jealously stretched through me, and I recognized the feeling as the same one I had felt when we had been floating in the ocean, the same feeling I had when I looked to see whether she had a wedding ring on. Maybe my body knew that I had feelings for her before my mind did, since I hadn't realized why I seemed so angry at the thought of her being taken.

All these thoughts occupied my mind while I waited for Bella to talk in her sleep as she had done the mornings before. She had rolled to her back sometime during the night, so I only had one arm over her waist, and she had flung her right leg carelessly over mine. It was such an awkward position, but she seemed comfortable.

"Edward," she hummed. Ah, there it was. A smile was starting to form on her sleeping face, and I leaned closer, waiting for more. "You're so pretty." _Pretty?_ I scoffed. She thought I was _pretty?_ I'd heard Emmett use that term enough to describe me. He always called me 'Pretty Boy'. Couldn't she have said handsome or hot, at least?

"Bella, I'm not a girl. I'm not pretty," I whispered, laughing silently. She smiled wider, and I wondered if I was in her dream with her.

"Prettiest boy ever," she continued. My eyebrows shot up. She thought I was the prettiest boy ever? Well, I guessed I could deal with that, so long as I was the prettiest to _her._ My ego gained about four pounds just listening to her, and I worried for my masculinity.

"Well, Bella," I whispered, feeling a bit stupid for talking to a sleeping girl, "if I am the prettiest boy ever, then that makes you the most beautiful girl ever." I leaned into her face, kissing her softly on her full lips. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," I breathed against her mouth.

Her eyes opened steadily, gazing at me with their deep chocolate pools. "Good morning," she said, yawning and stretching her arms. She leaned up to kiss me, biting my lip as she pulled away.

"Mmm," I said, "it is a good morning." She giggled and slapped my chest playfully. "You're so much different now. It's like you took some happy pills or something…what happened?" I asked. "Is it me?" I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.

"No. I just think your face is funny."

"Oh, really? I thought I was the prettiest boy ever," I said. She gasped and looked at me, wide eyed. Shit. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I wished I hadn't said anything. I didn't want her to know that she talked in her sleep, and if she did know, I didn't want her to know that I frequently watched her do it.

Her expression turned to one of suspicion. "How did you know about that?"

I sighed; there was no way to hide it now. "Uh, you said that."

Her eyebrows shot up in confusion. "When did I say that?"

I looked at her in shame, shame for invading her privacy and getting caught. I just hoped she didn't get _too _mad at me. "In your sleep," I confessed. To my utter surprise, Bella laughed.

She got up and headed for the beach. "I figured this would eventually happen. I've always talked in my sleep."

"You wouldn't mind telling me what you were dreaming about, by any chance?" I asked.

She turned around and looked at me as if I were crazy. "Nope. No chance, sorry." Then she turned back and walked farther away. I watched her hips naturally sway as they moved. She knew she was teasing me. I'd opened a really big can of worms when I kissed her. It was like her confidence went from minuscule to gigantic. A feeling of pride swept over me as I thought about how _I _had been the reason for that. I wondered what else I could bring out of her.

I followed her small footprints in the sand, and we each grabbed a banana for breakfast.

"Ugh," Bella complained as we sat down on her boulder, "I'm so sick of having sand in my pants. It's like I can't get away from it. I mean, I live on a beach in Florida, and I've never seen this much sand!" I chuckled.

"You live on a beach?" I asked curiously. Bella nodded and started to explain what her apartment looked like. From how she described it, it seemed small and lonely, but still cozy. She only lived there to be closer to work, and she rarely even went to the beach.

Her talk of home got me thinking about my own house. It was large and just a few streets away from my parents' house. It was two stories, complete with four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, and a huge but scarce kitchen. My parents had helped me pay for it, and at first I absolutely loved it, but after a while I felt like it was pointless. It was huge—and empty. I didn't even sleep in my bedroom upstairs anymore because I found that if I slept on the couch downstairs, I could pretend there wasn't another story, and the house felt a bit smaller with just the downstairs, and I didn't feel so lonely.

I thought of the piano that was gathering dust in the middle of my living room. I hadn't played it in so long. I used to write music, a song here and there, but I never went further than that with my musical talent. My mother loved listening to me play. Suddenly, as if I were present in my home and on my piano bench, a tune came to my mind, a tune so beautiful and powerful that I could feel my fingers itching to touch the keys and bring it to life. I wished I was home and that Bella was with me so I could try to play it for her. Maybe when we got off the island, I could bring her to my house. The image of her running around my kitchen, wearing an apron and sweating from the heat of cooking was unbelievably hot.

And then I could ravish her on the marble counter…

_Slow, Edward, slow. Take things slow! _I reminded myself mentally.

"Hey! Earth to Edward!" Bella called, snapping her fingers close to my face. I looked up at her, and the song appeared in my mind once more as my eyes met hers. She was my inspiration, my beautiful muse. She smiled and said, "You looked a little lost for a second!"

"Sorry, I was just thinking about my piano." _And things I'd like to do to you right next to it._

"You have a piano?" she asked. I nodded and proceeded to tell her about my own house and old family memories. We talked for what seemed like forever, and the rest of the day passed quickly. Before I knew it, the sun was going down again, and we were eating dinner.

I'd had no luck on catching another fish, but I wasn't really complaining after how Bella had reacted. I didn't want to hurt her feelings again. I started another fire and opened another bottle of wine by breaking the top on the rock. We shared it, and before long, I noticed Bella was _extremely_ tipsy.

She started flirting with me, blushing profoundly, and I knew she was going to have a bad headache in the morning.

"Baby, you think I'm pretty?" Bella asked, trailing her finger in the valley of my chest, over my heart, and making me shiver. I cocked an eyebrow. _Baby?_

"Bella, you're drunk," I laughed out, taking the bottle from her. She made a sound between a moan and a groan, and I tried to ignore my arousal.

"You didn't answer my question," she said in a singsong voice. I kissed her softly, tasting the alcohol on both our breaths. Hers was worse than mine, and I was surprised I hadn't realized how much she had been drinking.

"I think you're beautiful. And you don't even have to try," I told her. She smiled, her unfocused eyes lingering on me. She abruptly got up and swayed to the edge of the beach.

"Dance with me, Edward!" she cheered. I gaped at her, my jaw hanging in awe.

"Bella, I thought you hated dancing." I remembered her telling me how much she despised being on spotlight, especially because she was "uncoordinated". I'd noticed it was true, too, after seeing her trip so many times in the last ten days. She didn't answer me, though, and waved her hand for me to follow her to the shoreline. I got up and went to her.

She grabbed one of my hands and wrapped it around her waist, taking my other hand in her own. She winced in pain from her hurt toes colliding with mine. I couldn't have that.

I picked her up and set her feet on my own so that I wouldn't step on them, and so that she wouldn't feel any pain. I started dancing with her, which wasn't easy as Bella was more like deadweight that an actual partner. Bella giggled.

"What?" I asked. She giggled more.

"There's no music," she whispered as I twirled her carefully. A thought occurred to me.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to make some," I said. She simply stared at me.

I started to hum the tune that had come to me earlier. It was soft and sweet, calming and different. It reminded me of the girl in my arms.

She looked at me with wonder in her doe eyes. "What is that? It's beautiful," she said, swaying slightly and giggling as I dipped her.

I didn't answer her, because I wasn't really sure what it was. It didn't have a name, but it reminded me of a lullaby, and I knew that since Bella had inspired it, the song needed a special name. A special song for a special girl.

I hummed to her for a little while longer, and she snuggled her head into my chest and fell asleep standing up. I carried her back to the shaded trees and laid her down on her stomach so that she wouldn't suffocate on her own vomit if she started throwing up.

I watched her sleep for a long time, thinking about how in the hell we would mesh our lives together when this was over. I was determined to make it work, but what about Bella? Things were so up in the air. I hoped she was willing to give our relationship a real try once we returned. My family was in for a big surprise when I got home.

I smiled as I thought of how Emmett's face would look when he realized I had a…girlfriend? I guessed that's what I would call her, but it seemed like such a petty way to describe Bella. Maybe soul mate was more appropriate.

_Look at you, thinking about soul mates, _an inner voice said, _You surely weren't thinking about anyone that way two weeks ago, or the last twenty-four years before that. _I chuckled. Only Bella could turn me soft and caring in ten days. Only Bella could make me fall in love.

"Edward," she murmured. Her face looked stressed, and I was sure she must have been feeling the after effects of the wine by now. I spooned beside her sleeping body and rubbed her back.

"Shhh, silly girl. You shouldn't have drunk so much," I said. She still seemed tense, so I started to hum Bella's lullaby again, hoping it would calm her. "You will be the death of me, I swear." She smiled lightly, and my heart felt like it could burst with emotion.

**A/N: Fluff. Yuck. Hahaha. So I'm not all that satisfied with this chapter, but it was a bit of a filler and they can't all be action and overly romantic. *sigh* but I hope you liked it anyway…a big difference from last chapter…**

**Get to 125? Please? I love you guys! All the reviews from last chapter made me want to write faster, no joke. That's why this was out in just six days after the last one…**

**:)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I don't own Twilight! Thank you so much for the 43 reviews on just the last chapter! It made me giddy! Lemon will probably be next chapter! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Nine**

**Day Eleven Stranded**

**Bella**

I splashed water onto my face again, trying to soothe my awful headache. Ugh, it hurt so much. I'd thrown up twice already and I still felt like shit. I should have paid more attention to how much I was drinking last night. When I woke up, Edward already had his wet tee shirt in his hands, waiting to put it on my forehead. Then, to my utter embarrassment, I felt the vomit coming up my stomach and into my throat, and I quickly turned my head to wretch onto the ground. I had looked at Edward apologetically, and he chuckled, putting the wet piece of clothing back over my face. An hour had passed since then, and it was just my luck to have a horrible hangover the first time I got drunk.

I looked back over to Edward, who was sitting in the sand watching me. I could make out his crooked-yet perfect-smile all the way from out here. 'I love you!' I wanted to yell. Instead, like the coward I was, I whispered the three words under my breath, as if he could hear me. And I knew they were true. I was in love with him, probably from the very start, but now that I was allowing him to break my guard down, I was starting to see it.

I'd never been in love before, but I knew this was it. And I didn't want to fight the feeling or slow it down, because that was what old Bella would have done, and old Bella had been miserable. But even though I didn't want to fight them, I didn't know how to go about my feelings. What if I told him I loved him, and he thought I was crazy? I wouldn't be able to take that. No normal person falls in love in just over a week, but this was definitely not a normal relationship. I mean, the only reason we met was because we got stuck together, the only two survivors of a plane cash.

Yeah, not normal at all.

We had been here with no one but each other, learning one another. I depended on him just as he depended on me. I had fallen in love with him after all of that, but what about Edward? Just because I felt that way didn't mean he did, too.

I looked down at the water in front of me, reaching my waist. I could see my reflection, surprisingly clear. It seemed as if I had lost weight, but maybe it was just the water tricking me. My face looked slightly thinner, and my cheekbones seemed more prominent. My eyes were full of happiness, but confused at the same time.

It wasn't too hard to figure out what that was from.

I looked back at Edward, blushing and smiling when I saw that he was still watching me.

What about when we got off the island? All these feelings of needing each other dependability could disappear, along with any love he could possibly have for me. In the real world, he wouldn't need me, so who was to say he would still want me? Did he think this was just a fling for our time here, something just to pass the time, and once we were back on American soil, it would be as if it had never happened? I hoped not. I could see myself being with him, possibly even after we were saved. Possibly forever.

I shook the thoughts out of my head. If we were meant to be, we were meant to be. I was never much of a believer in fate, but now it seemed like my best option.

I walked back to the sand, back to Edward.

"Day eleven?" he said cheerfully?

I smiled. "Day eleven."

***

Days passed in the same fashion, and I was unbelievably enjoying myself. Edward and I had a blast every moment we were together, and there was never a dull moment. We kissed and flirted like teenagers, and I was starting to grow more confident that Edward may love me back.

Maybe it was hopeful wishing, but something about the way he looked at me made me just _know _he loved me. He seemed to be so fascinated with me, which baffled my mind. I had never shared so much with someone before, and I had spoken more in the last twenty days than I had in my entire life. Edward was so full of energy, and his jokes even got me rolling in hysterics now, instead of scowling at him like I usually did.

Every time I wanted to tell him how strong my feelings were, I chickened out. I was starting to hope that he would say it first, seeing as he was so confident and outspoken, but he never did.

"What are you thinking?" Edward asked, pulling me out of my thoughtful trance. It was midday of our twentieth day here, and it was so nice, I just wanted to lay with him on the beach. He had been silent for so long, I thought he was sleeping. I rolled over onto my stomach closer to him, and we faced each other.

"I was just wondering…" I tried to think of something, buying time by rubbing his shoulder gently, "what we're going to do today."

"Liar," Edward chuckled, calling me out on my fib. He traced his fingers along my jawbone, and I felt my face grow hot, even after all the times he had touched me. "You're so beautiful, but you're other-worldly when you blush like this. I wish I could make you blush every minute of every day for forever." His words merely made me do it more, and at his mention of 'forever' I felt my face light on fire. I looked down in embarrassment.

Edward pulled my face back up and kissed me softly. I wanted to moan in pleasure. Just one kiss of his did this to me? _Imagine if he made love to me. I would probably end up as a pool of Bella jello if we did go that far._

Edward retreated his face from mine, and laughed at my reluctant expression. He kissed me again, adding more passion this time. I tried to hold in giggles as his growing facial hair tickled my chin, but I failed, and I felt Edward smirk mischievously against my lips when he saw what he did to me. He paused for a second, and I wrongly thought he would have mercy on my face. Before I could pull away, he started rubbing his now thick stubble all over my face, making me break out in hysterical laughter.

"Stop! Stop!" I yelled. He laughed along with me as he tickled me, and finally stopped when I had trouble breathing.

"Edward!" I chided him, slapping his chest, then forgetting everything when I saw his pecs flex. He snorted loudly.

"Your face is all raw now," he laughed, rubbing his stubble. I personally liked the scruffy look on him, but he probably looked good no matter what happened to him. He could wear a garbage bag and make it look good.

I rubbed my burning face, trying to soothe it, but my palm was so rough and sweaty, only making it worse.

"I'm sorry," Edward said, pulling me into his lap and peppering my face with kisses. It felt nice until his stubble got in the way again.

"That's going to become a problem, isn't it?" he asked, smiling against my cheek. I didn't answer, for his actions were filling me with desire again, and I didn't want to show it. Edward must have noticed, though, because he tilted my head back slowly, gaining access to my neck. I closed my eyes unwillingly, giving in to the feeling of Edward trailing his lips across my throat.

I swallowed in anticipation. His hands came up around my ribcage where he stopped, probably unsure of how far I would let things go. I felt him kiss my collarbone, and nearly lost it when I felt his hot breath on the hollow of my throat. Then he licked around the bones and blew, eliciting a low moan from me. He must have realized that I was okay with this, because his hands finally came up to cup my breasts.

Then a stupid bird hooted loudly, and the moment was over. Edward's hands fell to my hips again, his mouth leaving my heated skin.

_Bastard bird, _I thought, _it seems that all the creatures on this island don't want me to lose my virginity._ I looked up at Edward, whose face looked apologetic.

"I'm sor-" he started to say again, but I cut him off with my fingers on his lips.

"Don't apologize." I wasn't going to let him feel bad or regretful, especially when I was having the time of my life. He winked at me, and I removed my hand from his mouth.

"What do you want for dinner?" he asked as he removed my body from his lap carefully. I stood up and helped him to his feet, brushing sand off his waist.

"What do I _want?_ I want a nice, big juicy steak and a stuffed baked potato," I said.

"Okay, it shouldn't be too hard to find a cow around here," Edward joked. "Maybe there are some animals somewhere on the island."

"I doubt it. We would have seen them by now if there were any wildlife," I countered.

"Hey, you never know. We never really explored that much. We haven't even been to the other side of the damn thing, and it's already been three weeks."

"Okay, smartass. Why don't you go look for animals?" I asked, walking back into the shade. I was expecting him to answer me, but he stayed silent, and I looked up at him. He was smirking.

"Edward?" I stopped walking and he finally looked at me. "Mind telling me what's so funny?"

"Sorry. What you just said made me remember something that happened to me when I was younger," he said slowly.

"What was it?" I asked, curious. He sighed, pursing his lips to keep from smiling.

"When I was little, about five or six, Emmett used to always pick on me. He always called me smartass because I could read a whole book by first grade. One time we went to a horse stable and paid for a whole day of riding. So, when we were about to leave, Emmett and I ran into the barn and there was this stalled horse named Crazy." Edward shuddered and continued. Well, the horse _was _crazy, you could tell just by looking at it. Emmett bet with me, saying he would give me five bucks if I went in and petted the horse. So, naïve like I was, I went in. The horse threw a fit that I had stepped into his stall, but I was determined to get that cash." I gasped-he could have been badly hurt.

"What happened?" I asked anxiously. Edward grimaced.

"I went to pet Crazy on the nose and it bit me between my neck and my shoulder. That hurt like a bitch, too. I ran out crying, and I had a huge bruise for a whole two weeks. Emmett called it a horsy hickey." I burst out in giggles. "I've been afraid of farm animals ever since. Talking about getting you a cow made me think of it."

"Did you get your five dollars?" I asked. Edward scoffed.

"No, I didn't! I'm going to have to remind him of that one day!" Edward said, laughing.

"So, I'm guessing you want me to go with you, since you're scared?" I tried to clarify. He shook his head.

"Of course not. I'm just scared of horses. And there aren't any on this island," he said. "You just go sit and look pretty. I'll go try to find something." He kissed me quickly, turning toward the "jungle," as we had deemed it.

I marched to the shoreline, wetting my feet, trying to burn time until Edward got back. I would have insisted on going with him, but I knew that we shouldn't spend all day every day together so much, or we would either get sick of each other or drive each other crazy.

My face felt so dry and my mouth tasted disgusting. I didn't know how Edward could stand kissing me-my breath must have been horrible. Edward's wasn't, though; he always tasted good, like honey and cinnamon and fruit. I wished I had some soap or at least a toothbrush.

I went back to the shade once again and took a nap.

I was woken from my sleep about an hour later by Edward calling my name and touching my face tenderly.

"Bella, I have something to show you!" I groaned, not wanting to wake up from my wonderful dream in which Edward had not stopped his ministrations on my body from earlier.

"Come on, Babe, you're going to love it!" I groaned again-such a good dream. Suddenly I felt my body being lifted from the ground, Edward having picked me up.

"I can walk," I said, looking up into his excited face.

"Silly girl, I know you can, but this is a surprise, and you need to keep your eyes closed. I'm afraid you can't even walk straight with your eyes open, so there's no way I'm letting you do it blind." I scowled at him, but closed my eyes all the same.

"I hate surprises," I muttered.

Edward chuckled. "No peeking."

He traveled with me in his arms for nearly twenty minutes, still not giving me a hint as to where we were going.

"It's at the heart of the island," was all he would say.

"I hope you didn't find a herd of monkeys or something," I said dryly. "Because that wouldn't really be a good surprise."

"No, it's nothing like that," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"How much longer?" I groaned.

"About ten minutes. This island is bigger than I thought. Still not big enough to build anything, though. Maybe a summer home at the least."

I waited another ten minutes, counting in my head.

"It's been ten minutes, Edward."

"Bella, we'll get there when we get there. It's not much longer, petulant child."

A few more minutes passed until finally Edward told me to keep my eyes closed as he set me down. I could hear a strange noise, and I got soaked as Edward lowered me.

I sputtered and tried to open my eyes, shocked that he was putting me in water. He covered my eyes with his hand so that I still couldn't see. I spouted his name off, worried.

"Calm down, Bella," Edward said soothingly. I felt my butt hit ground under the water, so the water wasn't deep. Edward removed his hand from my eyes and I looked around.

It was a…creek? I looked down at the cold water around me, and it was clear and beautiful, floating over the packed gravel. I splashed it over my face, and licked my lips, gasping.

"It's fresh water!" I looked at Edward, who was watching my reaction. He nodded and splashed water into his face, too. I turned to where the noise was coming from. It was a mini waterfall, the water cascading into the little stream I was in.

"It's a spring," Edward told me. "I can't believe the island has one. And look what I found!" Edward pulled something from his pocket and showed it to me, palm up. It was a coin, and it looked gold and beat up.

"Do you think it's real?" I asked, taking it from him and examining it closer. I could just make out the carving of a person, but I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman, it was so packed with dirt and grime.

"I don't know. You think pirates hid gold here a long time ago? Seems pretty exciting, huh?" Edward said, taking the coin back from me. I nodded. "You want to go on a treasure hunt?" I laughed at his happy face; he looked like a little boy on Christmas morning.

Edward laid back in the water, causing little ripples to float my way. I took a few sips of the water, feeling fully satisfied after being without fresh water for twenty days. I laid back on Edward, and he hummed the beautiful melody he had made up. We watched the sky through the trees as it darkened and the stars came out, shining brightly.

"You want to go back before we fall asleep here?" Edward asked after a while. I got up and we walked back to our little sanctuary. I yawned.

"My back is starting to hurt from laying on the ground every night," I told him.

"Yeah, mine, too. I'll have to do something about that."

I buried my head in his chest once we reached our sleeping place, falling asleep quickly. The last thing I felt was Edward's lips kissing the top of my head.

**Edward**

I watched Bella sleep as I drifted off. She started mumbling, which was strange because she normally only talked early in the morning, when she was about to wake up. I heard my name a few times and a couple moans which were really hard to ignore. I remembered how far we had gone earlier and felt my jeans tighten. This woman really would be the death of me. I didn't want to ruin everything by going too far, but this waiting and watching her body all the time was driving me crazy. Why is it that when you don't love someone, it's so easy to not care and you have all the confidence in the world, but when you do love someone, your ego goes out the window and you never want to take a chance at messing things up? I never thought being in love would be this hard.

I ran my hands over the swell of her hip, enjoying the satin of her skin on my fingertips. Why couldn't I do this when she was awake? I knew why; I was afraid she would reject me. I was afraid she didn't love me, or at least didn't love me enough to let me make love to her. _But she didn't complain earlier, _a voice in my head said.

I shook off the thoughts. Maybe I would just know when she was ready, like how I just _knew _when I loved her.

I wrapped my arms around her little body, enjoying the warmth of her. She sighed happily in her sleep, still mumbling.

"Edward," she said, "love you…" I looked at her in disbelief. I could almost feel my eyes bulging out of my head. She smiled lightly, obviously dreaming about me. Oh, how I wished she would say that while awake. I snuggled closer, beaming.

"I love you, too, Sweetheart."

**A/N: Ah, fluff again. Tell me how you liked this chapter! Sorry it came out a little later than usual. I got like 43 reviews on just the last chapter! That was amazing!!! Thank you guys so much! I feel so special when I see that others actually like what I write! So, I'm thinking next chapter will be the LEMON! I will star it off for those of you that don't want to read the lemon part. Please review and add to your favs!**

**BTW: check out A Rose by Any Other Name. It's by kismetian, and it's awesome!**


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Okay, so Edward's POV on the poll won, but after a little consideration, I will be writing Bella's POV of just the lemon, you know, because every girl deserves to know what was going through Bella's mind as Edward, well, you know. Lol

Also, you should check out _You, Me and the Baby Make Three _by sarah8989. It's a cute little story.

I will star off the lemon in this chapter. It was really hard to pop my lemon, and this chapter gave me hell because I wanted it to be absolutely perfect. I thank you all for being so patient, and I appreciate all the support. Also, I understand that not everyone likes lemons. I tried to make this one as sweet and romantic as possible. No mindless smut here.

We passed 200 reviews! I truly do love you guys!

BTW, the suitcase idea in this chapter was 4Ever's idea. She's been reading from the beginning and always gives me a little inspiration, as do a lot of you. I love the suggestions you all give me. Also, I am thinking about adding time to B and E's stay on the island. I know I told many of you that they would be there for two months, but I am thinking about extending that… Tell me what you guys think. Four months, six months, think I'll do another poll on that…wow, long A/N, huh?

Big thank you to xrxdanixrx for helping me with this chapter :D

Day Twenty-One Stranded

Edward

**I probably looked like an obsessive, crazy-stalker boyfriend, but at the moment I couldn't bring myself to care. I guessed it was about eleven in the morning--I had been getting better at reading the position of the sun to tell the time--and Bella was still sleeping. I watched her as usual, caressing the skin of her collarbones. It was the softest skin on her body that I had tasted so far, and my favorite for now. Even in sleep it was like her soul responded to my touch; I watched as her ivory flesh blushed at my fingertips.**

**During the night, I couldn't keep myself from imagining this girl--this angel--as my one true love for all eternity. There was no way I could ever go back to how my life used to be; I would be miserable.**

**I picked up her left hand, kissing all of her fingers, lingering on the one that I hoped she would one day let me occupy with a ring. I knew that I would marry this girl. I pictured her in a big white dress walking towards me holding a bouquet, her hair fixed and her face radiant with happiness for what was to come. My mind latched onto the image, creating many more fantasies. I tried to picture the face of the man who would hand her off to me, her father. Was she one of those children who looked like her father or her mother? Or was she one that was a perfect mixture or one who looked like there was a mix-up at the hospital after her birth? I wanted to know everything about her, and I knew so little despite all the things we had shared with each other. But I knew that if she gave me the chance, I would have forever to discover every detail about the woman who'd stolen my heart. I was officially whipped and I didn't even care.**

**Her eyelids fluttered open at my movement on her hand, and she gazed at me lovingly, her eyes tired.**

"**You slept longer than usual, love," I said. I couldn't help the pet name, it just came out without permission from my brain. "Had any good dreams this time?" She smiled, cupping my cheek.**

"**You read my mind," she mumbled sleepily, "Did I say anything interesting?"**

**I debated telling her what she said to me last night in her sleep. I didn't want to embarrass her, but I wanted to know so badly whether she loved me or not. I decided to be truthful.**

"**Yeah," I told her, smiling from the memory of her voicing her feelings, even if it was in sleep. "You told me you loved me." She froze in my arms, and I could practically feel the blush on her cheeks. I panicked slightly from her reaction. Did she not really love me and not want me to get the wrong impression, or was she just uncomfortable with me knowing? I hoped it was just the latter. Or worse, was she afraid that she would scare me off with telling me her feelings, like my problem?**

"**Bella," I said quickly, "calm down. Please." I kissed her lips softly, glad when I felt her relax slightly.**

"**I-I'm sorry," she said, taking her face in her hands. I took her hands away, but she wouldn't look at me. **_**Well, here goes nothing.**_

"**Don't be sorry You don't know how long I've wanted to hear you say that to me." She opened her eyes at my confession, her gaze lifting from my chest to my face until our eyes locked, both pairs full of questions and uncertainty and determination.**

**I thought of all the times I'd heard my parents say it, focusing on how happy they were and hoping it would help me to grow the guts and come out with it.**

"**I love you," I said, the surest words I had ever spoken, hearing them echo in my brain as I said them; my mind probably wanted to store this special memory, playing it over and over in my head and feeling strange because I'd never in my life said them to a woman this way before. "I do, I mean it. I love you, Bella." Her eyes looked glassy as if she were holding back tears.**

**She raised her fingers to my mouth, tracing my lips. "You don't know how long I've wanted to hear you say that to me," she used my words, smiling brilliantly now. "I love you." Hearing her say it again made me want to throw her on the ground and ravish her. She replaced her fingers with her lips and kissed me passionately. One of my hands gripped her hip while the other drifted into her long hair, feeling its soft tresses. Her hands gripped my own hair and my neck, and without breaking our heated kiss, she climbed onto my lap. I was surprised she took our intimacy this far, as I was the one who always started. My heart escalated as I felt the heat pouring from between her legs to mine, coupled with the small whimpers coming from her throat. I ran the hand that was on her hip down her silky leg. Normally, feeling hair on the legs of a woman would gross me out, but everything here was natural; not one thing on or about Bella was fake, and I wouldn't want it any other way. It was strangely erotic--there was nothing in our way. There were no neighbors to make any noise to disturb us--**_**or complain we were disturbing them**_**, I thought cheekily--no television blaring anywhere, no aggravating city lights or car horns to ruin the moment. It was just us, and it was perfect. If we were going to make love, however, I didn't want it to be right that second. I wanted to hear the waves crashing against the shore and see the moonlight hit Bella's body in all the perfect spots.**

**So, I knew if we didn't stop now, my fantasy of our first time wouldn't come true. I slowed my groping hands, moving them back to her waist. Her eyes were full of love and lust, and for a minute I almost decided to screw the fantasy, but then she buried her head in my chest, planting a kiss on my heart and telling me she loved me.**

**After a while, we returned to the spring and took a few sips, lying in the surprisingly cold water. Bella said she wished there was baking soda to go with the water, complaining that her breath smelled.**

"**I think you taste wonderful," I said. She scoffed, walking away toward the waterfall. I watched her hips sway, the water making her clothing stick to her gorgeous body like glue. The water cascaded over her shoulders slowly, down her breasts and over her navel. I tried looking away, but it was impossible. **_**How long has it been? A year? I haven't wanted to sleep with anyone in a year, and here she is being all seductive and beautiful. And she probably doesn't even know what she's doing to me. That's the sad part.**_** I managed to tear my eyes away.**

**I had begun to notice how little self-esteem Bella had. She was not confident about anything she did. I didn't understand it; she was brilliant and had every reason to believe she could do anything. I wondered what could have happened to make her so critical of herself.**

*******

**I was walking along the shore looking for fish for dinner when I saw a large black thing floating in the water some ways out. I tried to make out what it was, but there was really no telling. We were still finding things along the shore, but most of it was broken. I walked toward the thing, taking in its size. The only useful item that had washed ashore was a piece of the mirror that had been in the plane's bathroom. It was just a small piece, the mirror having been shattered, but it was sharp and came in handy when I had to cut something. It didn't look like we were getting off the island soon, and I was getting worried about our resources, as the food we had wouldn't last forever. It was vital that we find objects from the plane.**

**When the black box came nearer, I walked through the water toward it. I finally came in contact with it, turning it over and seeing the zippers, realizing it was a discarded suitcase. It was soaked and filthy, but otherwise looked in good condition. I dragged it to shore, excited. Bella saw me pulling it onto the dry sand, and came to me hurriedly.**

**She reached me and looked over my shoulder just as I was unzipping the suitcase. The first thing I saw was water, as it had been drowned, but we both started digging and our fingers touched clothing.**

**I felt extremely soft fabric and pulled it out curiously, the water dripping off the article. The color was murky and ugly, probably had once been white, but because of the water, now it was a blackish green color. Then once most of the water was wringed out, I noticed what the garment was and laughed, showing Bella.**

"**Is that a thong?" she asked, leaning closer to get a better look. I laughed harder at the blush on her face. I started looking frantically in the suitcase.**

"**Oh, here's the other piece!" I said, holding up a lacy bra that matched. I wiggled my eyebrows in suggestion. "You've been complaining about having only one pair of clothes, well, here you have it! This is perfect, babe!" I said jokingly. She blushed a deeper red.**

"**Edward, I am not going to wear a dead person's clothes, especially a dead person's lingerie!" Bella huffed. I knew she wouldn't go along with it; she was too shy, even though I had seen her in underwear before. Still, imagining her in the clothing I held in my hands gave me a nice picture to burn into my mind.**

**I smiled at her to let her know I was only joking, and we started digging more. The suitcase was mostly filled with lingerie, but there were a few jeans and tank tops.**

"**Wow, this woman must have been a prostitute or something," I said, picking up a faded red bra. "I've never seen so much matching underwear in my life." Bella found something white and held it out to me, giggling. I saw that it was a mug and it had red writing on it. It said 1 GRANDPA in bold. **_**What the fuck?**_

**I looked at Bella and we started laughing our asses off, only calming down when I put the mug to the side for later. Bella wiped the tears from her eyes while I drained the suitcase of water.**

"**Looks like that's it," I said, seeing that the case was now empty. "And not even one shirt that will fit me. You get loads of underwear and I get jack shit." Bella laughed, picking up some of the less revealing undergarments.**

"**Some of these still have the tags on them. That makes me feel a little better; no one ever wore them," Bella said, showing me a blue modest-but-still-sexy panty and bra set. I groaned, imagining the dark blue color against her pearl skin.**

"**Hear me now, Bella Swan, you will wear that at least once before you are off this island."**

*******

**Bella and I ate dinner as the sun went down. I'd lit another fire to cook the fish, and we were sweating, but neither of us wanted to move. I was sitting cross-legged, Bella's head in my lap as I stroked her hair back from her face. The flames' shadows licked at her feminine features, and I fought myself from growing aroused. She looked deep in thought, her eyebrows crunching every few seconds as she stared at the fire.**

"**What are you thinking about?" I asked, my voice a bit hoarse from not using it for almost two hours. She turned her head and looked at me, smiled, and then looked back at the dancing colors of red and orange.**

"**I was just thinking about how much I don't want to leave. If it weren't for our families, Edward, I would never want to go back," she whispered, "Is that wrong of me? Is it stupid?" **

**I could see conflict on her features. "No, Love, I feel the same way." I thought about it for a second, considering. "There are a few things I would like to see happen in the real world, though." **_**Like you in a wedding dress, promising to always be mine. That can't happen here.**_

**She looked back up at me, twisting her body so that she faced me fully. She sat up and kissed me, catching me off guard. "I'm so scared, Edward. What will you do when you're not stuck with me always? What will happen to us? I can't lose you, not after I've finally found you."**

**Her words made me sad, and I wished that she wouldn't worry herself over the future. **_**Our **_**future. I kissed her lips and put my forehead to hers. "Bella, believe me when I say that I love you. And I want to be stuck with you always. I can't even imagine forever without you at all anymore." I took her small hands in my own and caressed them. I brought her left hand to my mouth and kissed her palm as an idea occurred to me.**

**I fumbled with the frayed bottom of my jeans, ripping a thin piece of denim that was hanging off. I'd heard of the knot that was impossible to untie, the 'untieable knot'. My father had showed me one day when I was younger how to tie it, and he told me to try to untie it. I couldn't, and he couldn't either. I didn't know if he was just pulling my leg, trying to entertain me, and I wasn't sure if there even was a way to untie it, but it came in handy now. The only way to undo it was to cut it. I took her fourth finger and wrapped the denim string around it, trying to remember how my father had done it.**

**It came back to me in perfect clarity, the memory of how to do this. I tied and tied and Bella watched my fingers, probably wondering if I had gone crazy.**

**When I was finally finished, I gave back her hand and as she examined it, I said, "This is the 'untieable tie'. The day that it comes undone will be the day that I stop loving you." **_**Which will be never, **_**I thought. She looked down at the giant knot I had formed, and I wished that I could put something real--something beautiful--in its place. Tears swam in her eyes as she looked back up at me.**

"**It will never leave my finger," she whispered with so much emotion, it made her voice shake.**

**Some while later, the fire started to die, and I was about to go under our little canopy to sleep as we had done every night, but Bella stopped me, saying she wanted to stay up a little longer and watch the stars. I agreed and left to find more firewood.**

**We didn't have much small wood left, and I had to search on the outskirts of the 'jungle' for some to burn. Bella was only out of my eyesight for five minutes, and when I came back, I was shocked to see that she was not next to the fire where I had left her. I looked around frantically, the twigs in my hands forgotten, falling to the white sand. I looked around and caught sight of her jeans and shirt right next to the shoreline, but no Bella. I looked out at the ocean, confused. **_**Why would she take her clothes off?**_

**Finally, I spotted her. She was waist-deep in the water, her body turned sideways so that I could see the outline of her silhouette. She was beautiful, and I felt like a magnet was in my heart, dragging me to her. Without even thinking, I started to walk toward her, my feet barely registering the combination of water and sand. Her hands were up in her hair, and I could see every curve of her body, the moon making the water look white and Bella's figure was only a shadow. I seemed to be in slow motion, as if it was another one of those times in which my mind wanted to remember everything that was about to take place. My heart was beating fast and my eyes couldn't seem to blink, but my legs worked on autopilot.**

**I finally reached the goddess and she smiled at me as if she had been waiting a long time. My hands came out to touch her, and I noticed that she was wearing the blue lingerie. She hadn't even bothered to pull the tags off. She was darker in this moonlight, but I could still see how the color reflected off her skin.**

"**You're so beautiful," I said, skimming a hand along her jaw. She stared into my eyes, her own big and bright.**

"**Show me," she murmured, "I'm yours."**

_******(Lemon Alert)******_

**I looked at Bella questioningly, but I knew that she was the type of person that when she made up her mind, she wasn't changing it for anything. With her eyes, she showed me nothing but love and determination. I licked my lips in anticipation, really scared for the first time since I had been here. I took her hand, the one I had claimed with the string, and kissed it, forcing her to remember what it meant. **_**I love you.**_

**I kissed her forehead, and then kissed her lips softly at first, then put more passion into it. Bella started to run out of breath, and I could feel her heart racing against my own. I could feel the curve of her breasts against my chest and the soft skin of her waist just below my own. I kissed her once more chastely before I picked her up from her hips and laid her out on the water. Her whole torso floated above the water with my help, and I parted her legs and wrapped them around my waist. My eyes skimmed her body from her silky legs to her navel to her chest and finally to her face. Her gaze was fixed on the moon, and I could see the light reflected in her irises. Her long eyelashes created shadows on her cheeks, and it made her so beautiful that I felt unworthy of even being here in her presence.**

**She looked at me, love evident in her eyes, but I could also sense a little fear coming off of her. I leaned over her, keeping one hand under her back to hold her above the water, and her hands came to my chest, tracing the planes of my abs. "You're the first for me, Edward," she confessed. I was pleasantly surprised, even though I had considered this to be true. She always seemed hesitant when we kissed, as if it had been a long time since she had been that close to anyone or as if she had never gone far intimately. Happiness and pride rushed through me, knowing that I was the only one she trusted enough to ever claim her. I briefly considered asking her if she was sure about this, but I knew she wouldn't do anything without making up her mind first. But she did need to know what she was getting into.**

"**Love, I don't want to hurt you, but it's inevitable. You may be in pain for a little while." She smiled and shrugged. **

"**I know. Edward, I'm a virgin, not an idiot," she said, chuckling. I touched her neck, feeling the soft wet skin there. I spread her hair out so that it made a halo around her head, floating on the surface. She traced my face as I did hers. "You're so perfect."**

**I kissed her lips first, trailing them down her neck and to her chest. I reached under the water and unclasped the dark bra, freeing her breasts. She sank a little, causing water to fill the valley between them. I lifted her more, watching in awe as the droplets cleared from her. Returning my lips to trailing down her chest, I kissed her heart and ran my hands over the glowing mounds of flesh. I licked her navel when I reached it, and she moaned lightly. I straightened up again so I could remove the blue panties, and I could feel my heart beating crazily as I got closer to being one with Bella.**

**I lifted her legs against my chest with one hand and tugged the strings of her bottom down, caressing her skin as I pulled the cloth off inch-by-inch. When the final piece was gone and forgotten, floating a foot away from our bodies, I took in the view of my love, nude and breath-taking and spread out before me.**

_**I've never been this nervous in my life, **_**I mused, **_**And also never this determined. **_**I stared at her in awe and admiration, reminding her that she was beautiful.**

"**I'm yours," she said again, and I saw her eyes dart briefly to the string on her finger. I pulled my soaked jeans down, never taking my eyes off her. I traced my fingertips over her ribs to the peaks of her breasts, and her eyes closed in pleasure at my ministrations.**

**She pulled my face to her lips again and kissed me roughly. I knew it was time, and no amount of foreplay was going to make this moment more perfect. I drifted a hand to between her legs, and found that she was definitely ready, even with all the water getting in our way.**

**I kissed her one more time before lining myself up with her entrance. I looked down into her shining eyes as I pushed in little by little, claiming more and more of her. I could not help but think the words **_**this is mine, this is mine **_**and **_**this is the best moment of my life**_** over and over as I went.**

_**I love this girl.**_

**I met her resistance, and decided prolonging the pain wouldn't help at all. I gripped one of her hips and my other hand took hold of her cheek as I pushed all the way, breaking her hymen. She gasped in pain, and I looked to her face, praying that it wasn't terrible. She clenched her eyes, and said, "Give me a second."**

**She felt wonderful, and I fought the urge to thrust like a maniac, obliging to her wishes. I leaned over more and pressed my forehead to her heart, waiting. I felt the strange sensation of being home, like I had always belonged here. Bella was my other puzzle piece, my perfect half.**

**After a few seconds, she gave me the green light, gripping my biceps and digging the heels of her feet into my back. She smiled at me, and I smiled back, knowing that I was the luckiest man in the world. I started a slow rhythm, enjoying the feel of her for the first time. It was as if she were made for me.**

**She was enjoying our lovemaking, too; I could tell from the beautiful sounds she made and the quiet whispers of my name that fell from her mouth. We needed more, and I quickened my pace, getting us both closer to ecstasy. She started to meet my thrusts, quickly becoming a natural at this.**

"**Do you," **_**thrust, "**_**feel that?" I asked her, wanting to know if she could feel how perfect we fit together. She had no experience to compare it to, but it was possible that she could just **_**know**_**.**

"**If you mean," **_**thrust, "**_**how perfect you feel," she moaned, "to me…then yes!" I smiled at her lovingly, feeling my orgasm near. Hers came first, and I gazed at her blush-red face as she fell apart. Her orgasm triggered my own, and a big warning went off in my head. Thankfully, I pulled out of her quickly, as hard as it was to leave her body in a state of perfect-being. I moaned in pleasure, even though I knew it would have felt even better had I not had to leave her haven. I saw stars in my bliss and thought I was just imagining things after the best sex ever, but then I realized they were real stars. We were outside, after all.**

**When I came down from my high, I looked at Bella's face. Her legs were still wrapped around me, and her body just floated easily, like an angel treading water. She was looking at me, a fierce blush on her face. "I love you," she said. "That was the most perfect moment of my life. Thank you."**

"**You don't need to thank me, Love. I love you as much as this sky is big, and I promise we will have more perfect moments like this," I assured her as I motioned to the stars and moon above us. I kissed her softly, and I could see her eyes drooping. I picked her up bridal style, my hands drifting under the water to her body, and carried her to the shore. She tucked her head into my chest as I walked, and by the time I reached our little canopy, she was sleeping. I laid her down next to me, the both of us still naked. I had grabbed our garments that we removed in the water and placed them over the dying fire to dry. I wrapped my arms around her and fell asleep, counting day twenty-two. **

**A/N: So there you have it…my first lemon. I hope you guys liked it. I really did work my ass off for it; it helped me get my frustration out from paying a wreckage note and worrying about the Superbowl. BTW, my home team, the Saints won! Yeah, baby, yeah! My dad spent the night on Bourbon street and took pictures of how crazy it was. New Orleans is going crazy! Also, I will have a week off of classes for the Mardi Gras holidays, so expect an update sooner than usual! Another thing, I now have a running pole for how long you guys want Bella and Edward to be on the island. Go vote! And REVIEW!!! I would like to see everyone who is reading this story at least review this chapter! :D**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Due to so many stories taking their stories down because of lemons, I don't know if I will have to take mine down. My lemons are subtle, so who knows…I've posted Stranded on a blog just in case. You guys should really check it out. I have pictures of the plane and the beach and a banner. The link is on my profile. It's also on Twilighted.

Anyway, thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter! It was my first lemon and I know it wasn't much, but it was all I wanted. That was why this chapter took me so long; I was debating doing another lemon or not. There is a little one in here. Also, many of you had questions about whether Bella will get pregnant on the island. I will address that at the end of this chapter.

Day Twenty-Two Stranded

Bella

_I woke up in a dazed state, looking around. The first thing I saw was the emerald eyes of my love looking down at me with devotion, love, and lust. I couldn't feel the sand beneath me, couldn't smell the usual salt and humidity in the air. The sky was still dark, and I felt as if I were swimming with the stars, they were so bright._

"_Bella," Edward whispered huskily, his honey breath hitting me straight on and taking over my senses like the sweetest drug. His voice seemed to echo, which was strange, but in my daze I couldn't really seem to focus on it enough to question it. His eyes were clouded and half closed, making him the pure image of hot. He looked down at my body and growled animalistically, turning me on more. I moved my hands up to touch his face, and sand came off my fingers, floating into the air as if there were no gravity. Again, I did not question it, as Edward's lips were begging for my attention. I kissed him softly at first, our lips molding together perfectly as they always did, and he deepened it, tracing his tongue around my mouth, asking for entrance. I gave it to him._

_All of a sudden, I was under him in the sand, caressing his back muscles and arching my back in hopes of getting closer to him. He pulled back and smirked at me, trailing his fingers down to my breasts. Memories of our previous night came back to me, and the sensation of his hands on me now was even better than I remembered. There was no noise around us; all I could hear was the sound of Edward's breathing. His fingers traced the peaks of my breasts until he replaced his hands with his mouth. My fingers wove into his bronze locks, and I wanted so badly to moan, but I didn't want to disturb the silence. I was reminded of one of those silent birth things, but quickly jumped out of those thoughts. I definitely did not want to compare my intimate moments with special birth options._

_Edward separated my legs with his knee, and in one swift thrust, he was inside me once more. He moaned above me, breaking the silence._

"_You're so perfect," he murmured as he started a steady rhythm, worshipping my body in the sand. I could feel myself throbbing and my head spinning as he continued to give me pleasure and take pleasure in return. He filled me so perfectly, the missing piece to my puzzle._

_Before long, I could feel my insides coiling up, tightening in the most sublime way. I let go, and my climax was so powerful I could feel myself nearly shaking. My peak triggered Edward's, and he repeated my name over and over as he emptied himself into me. He collapsed onto me, holding himself up by his elbows just slightly. I tugged on the hair in the back of his head, playing with the strands._

"_Mmmm," he sighed. I giggled, and he lifted his head, giving me a giddy, accomplished smirk. I laughed more._

_Suddenly, everything around me changed, as if I had switched from one vision to another._

_We were scrounging for food again. Edward was smiling down at me from one of the trees on the island, and I was on the ground. The height at which he was perched frightened me; I reached toward him, but he only seemed to grow farther away from me._

"_Edward!" I yelled in alarm, "Get down from there!" He chuckled at me._

"_Bella, you don't need to worry about me!" he yelled. As if fate was trying to spite him, the next step he took broke the branch beneath him, and I yelped as his body came tumbling down at my feet. I closed my eyes in horror._

_When I opened them, there was no whimpering, no sound coming from Edward like I expected there to be. I looked around and saw him lying just a few feet from me, unmoving. Something was strange about the way he was positioned, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I ran to him, fighting the urge to hyperventilate. Once I was close, I realized it was his head bent at an odd angle._

"_Oh, God," I whimpered. His neck was broken, his body lying lifeless. I checked for his pulse, ignoring the way his eyes stayed open eerily. There was no pulse. "Edward!" I cried. I yelled his name over and over. _Come back to me.

"Come back to me, Bella. Wake up, Love." My eyes snapped open. Edward was sitting above me, concerned. He rubbed my face. "It was just a dream, baby. Shh, it's okay," he said. I let out breath in relief--he was okay. I was in a cold sweat, and Edward wiped tears from my eyes. I simply stared at him, never wanting to look away from his face. I could feel his strong arms underneath me, holding me, and I never wanted him to let me go again. I never wanted that nightmare to become a reality.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack! One minute you're moaning my name in your sleep and the next you're screaming bloody murder," Edward said. It was just a bad dream, but I couldn't get it out of my head, couldn't let it go. I sat up quickly and threw my arms around Edward, caressing his back and gripping his hair. His stubble scratched against my shoulder, and I had never welcomed the feeling so much. Edward held me tight, and I knew I must have been freaking him out. "You wanna talk about it, Bella?" he whispered.

"Oh, Edward, it was horrible. You were in this really high tree, like thirty feet high, and you fell head first and you broke you neck, and I couldn't save you. I couldn't save you.." I trailed off. The tears came in full force and my shoulders shook with my sobs as I remembered Edward's body crumpled on the ground. It was so realistic, and the fact that it _could _really happen scared the hell out of me. "We need to get off this island, Edward. What if one of us gets sick? What if one of us gets hurt?" I cried into his shoulder.

Edward ran his fingers through my hair gently, trying to calm me down. "We will, Bella, I promise. We won't be here much longer. A plane or something is bound to pass close sometime, and nothing is going to happen to either of us."

I leaned away from him, taking in the sincerity in his eyes. His loving and serious expression didn't waver for a second, and my tensed muscles relaxed. I looked down to his chest and traced the valleys between his muscles. "Staying here isn't as appealing anymore after that dream," I muttered. I could almost imagine the frown that graced his face at my words, but I refused to look at him. He sighed.

"I know. We really can't live in our little bubble here forever. It would be nice, though," he said. I looked up at him, surprised that he was agreeing with me. I was all prepared for him to give me a speech on how he could take care of me and not worry about everything else. I raised my eyebrows at him. "We're kind of like Adam and Eve, eh?" He nudged me, the cute, lopsided smirk plastered on his face again.

I laughed and said, "Oh, yes. Adam and Eve indeed. Where's that forbidden apple?" I looked around playfully, pretending to look for an apple tree. Edward snorted.

"I wish you were Eve," he said huskily, giving me a look as if I were his prey.

"And why is that?" I asked, curious.

"Because then you would be naked all the time." My jaw dropped at his words, and memories of the night before and the beginning of the dream filled my dirty little mind. He chuckled and kissed me chastely. "Speaking of nakedness, how are you feeling? I'm sure last night had to be, uh, different for you," he said, slightly blushing.

"Last night was perfect, Edward. I want many more," I whispered the last part. Edward's eyes widened.

"Oh. It seems I've created a monster. Or maybe a vixen," he said. "But all joking aside, how do you feel?" I was a little sore, honestly, but it wasn't bad in any way. The slight discomfort in my limbs was a reminder of our lovemaking, and each time I moved and felt a little pain, I wanted to smile. Call me a masochist.

"Sore. And happy." I kissed him deeply, biting his lip and tracing it with my tongue when I pulled away. Edward cocked an eyebrow at my sudden forwardness, then looked down at his lap. I followed his gaze, and saw that my ministrations were exciting him.

"Yep," he laughed, "definitely created a monster."

***

"Let's go swimming," Edward suggested after we ate lunch. I was busy tracing the small string around my finger, the one Edward had given to me the night before. I loved it already, even though it was just a string. Edward had given it to me, and I knew he had probably been thinking of a _real _ring when he tied it around my finger. The thought excited me, and I couldn't stop admiring the strand.

"I'm not a good swimmer. I thought you realized that when we swam to the island," I said, embarrassed.

"I won't let you drown, Bella. Please?" I couldn't deny that face of his, especially when he wanted something.

"Alright," I huffed, "let me change into one of those bikinis from the suitcase."

Ten minutes later, I was on Edward's back, floating and clinging onto him as if my life depended on it. I was terrified and trying to hide it from him. When we were swimming toward the island almost a month ago, I wasn't as scared, only because I was so focused on finding land. Now that we had found it, and it was only about fifteen feet away from me, I never wanted to go in deep water again. Ever. But here I was, fighting my fear in an attempt to make Edward happy.

Every little touch or caress to my legs under the water had my heart rate up and my anxiety level going crazy. I was sure my blood pressure had to be really high with my paranoia. I could see Edward's face, too, and he was smiling like a boy with an entire cookie jar. He was breathtaking.

"I don't want to go far, Edward," I said nervously. That was where I would put my foot down. He turned his head to look back at me.

"I won't, Bella. And you're stiff as a board. Relax a little," he said, turning around again. He swam with me on his back for a little longer before putting me down. We were up to my neckline deep, and I was glad that I could see everything through the clear water.

"Hey! Look, a shark!" Edward said loudly, pointing to the right of me. My heart shot into my throat, and I darted to Edward's side faster than the speed of light. My eyes searched furiously for the offending sea animal. I couldn't find it, and I froze and started screaming.

Edward clamped his hand over my mouth, halting my shrieks. "Bella, it's just a little nurse shark. It's not going to hurt you." He pointed again, and I could make out the outline of the shark. It was small, only about two feet long, and under the water. It swam past our legs sluggishly, and I calmed down as it moved farther away from us. I looked up to Edward in apology, and I was feeling stupid for being so scared, but when I saw the expression on Edward's face, I could feel my cheeks heating up with anger and embarrassment.

His lips were pursed to keep himself from laughing at me, and his eyes were full of amusement. I slapped his chest, effectively breaking the dam for his laughter. I scowled at him.

"You should have seen your face!" He chortled out. I crossed my arms.

"You shouldn't have said 'shark.' You scared the hell out of me," I complained. I bit my lip.

Once his laughter died down, Edward took me in his arms. "I'm sorry I scared you. Forgive me?" he asked. I nodded, knowing there was no point being mad at him. It wouldn't last long anyway, and I had to admit…it _was _kind of funny. Edward smiled and we walked in the water to the other side of the island, a relatively unknown place to us.

There were lots of rocks on the other side, and there was a little cliff about fifteen feet high. The rocks blended into the trees, so it was hard to see where the cliff started, but I could tell it was on land.

"Look at that big crevice," Edward said, pointing toward the cliff. Sure enough, there was a large opening where the water met the cliff, and it looked like a cave. Edward started swimming toward it, dragging me through the water with him.

"Oh, no, I don't think so! You're not getting me to go in there!" I said, pulling back. It was dark and unknown, threatening. Edward looked at me, then back at the cave, and then back to me, weighing his options.

"You want to wait here?" he asked me. I looked around, shaking my head. "Well, how about you go on the beach and wait for me there. I'll come right back; I just want to check it out."

I internally sighed. "No, I would much rather if we just go back to the shore. Together." I looked back at the crevice. It looked kind of scary.

Edward's shoulders slumped. I knew he didn't want to leave me alone, but he still wanted to see the cave. I gave I.

"Alright. I'll go with you," I said, defeated. I knew I could have gotten away with him coming back with me, but I didn't want to do that to him.

He frowned. "Bella, I don't want you to do anything that you don't want to do. If you're scared, I understand, sweetheart." _Oh, now he's pulling the sweet name calling trick. That means he's actually very happy I'm agreeing._

_I think I'm starting to know him like the back of my hand, _I thought. "No, really," I lied, "I _want _to go." I just had to grin and bear it. "Just don't let go of me. I'm scared of the dark, too." I looked at the opening again. It looked extremely dark. We wouldn't have any light.

Edward smiled and took my hand, swimming to the crevice. Once we reached it, I realized it was much bigger than I thought it was, and it was filled with water. There was only about two feet of space for us to keep our heads up to breathe. My feet barely reached the sand at the bottom, and even Edward had trouble keeping himself upright with his six feet and two inches height. He held onto me as we floated inside. There was enough light to see toward the end of the cave, but when we got to the end, I realized it wasn't truly the end of the cave; it was just the end of free space. The roof of the cave turned in and met the water in front of us, and to go any farther, we would have to swim under. Edward dipped under to see, and when he came up, he turned excited.

He gripped me by the shoulders and brought me to the left side of the cave so I could hold onto the stone wall. "Wait here," he said. "The cave goes on, and I can see light at the end. I think it might lead to the island, but I want to make sure. I don't want you to come in case there isn't an opening."

I gaped at him incredulously. "And if there isn't an opening? What if you run out of breath? Edward, you're crazy!" I cried. But he was already swimming away from me.

"Don't worry, love, I'll be right back." And with that, he went under and I could see his form swimming through the hole.

"Edward!" I called. My dream from earlier came back to me. Was it a sign? Edward had been doing something dangerous and stupid in my dream, and now he was doing something dangerous and stupid in real life. I wasn't usually superstitious, but I had a bad feeling about this cavern. I hoped he came back soon, and when he did, I was going to give him a piece of my mind.

Five minutes passed. Then another ten minutes passed. I was growing extremely antsy, and I could feel tears of horror threaten to spill over.

_Edward, come back to me_, I prayed. I kept dunking my head under the water, trying to get a glimpse. Fifteen minutes was way too long for a human to be under water, even a human who had been the star of the swim team in high school. I made a deal with myself: if he wasn't back in five minutes, I was going after him.

I counted in my head. I got to one hundred twenty seconds and decided that this was long enough. I was going find him, and he'd better be okay, or I was going to lose it.

I swam to the opening under the water and put my head below so I could see. Edward was right--there was a little light coming from the end, so there had to be an opening somewhere. I rose up, took a big gulp of oxygen, and plunged into the water with open eyes. Big green orbs met mine as soon as I was under the water. I shrieked, my breath leaving my lungs in large bubbles, floating to the surface. I shot back up, grabbing my racing heart.

"Edward!" I yelled. He came out of the little tunnel under water and shook his hair out. "You scared the shit out of me! I was so worried!" I slapped his chest and arms, everywhere I could reach. "What took you so damn long?" I demanded. He merely grabbed me around my waist and pulled me back where he came out from.

"Bella, you've got to see this. It's so amazing," he spoke quickly and vehemently.

"What is it?" I asked, still annoyed. He had no right to scare me like that.

"You just have to see. Can you hold your breath for forty seconds?" he asked. I nodded, and he told me to do it. I did as I was told, and we both plunged into the water. He pulled me through the water, through the cave. I was extremely nervous, knowing I couldn't go up for air. I tried to help him out by kicking my legs.

I was growing claustrophobic, holding my breath and waiting for an opening. There was barely any light, and that terrified me, especially while being in water. It reminded me of the times my electricity would go out while I was in the shower and I would get so scared, I would just get out and wait for the lights to come back on, suds in my hair be damned.

Eventually, in thirty seconds, I felt Edward rise up in the water, taking me with him. We floated to the surface, and I took a deep breath as my face hit air. I looked around, and Edward was right--it was fantastic.

"It's a grotto," Edward explained to me, "isn't it beautiful?" We swam to where there were sand and rocks, and I stood up as soon as my feet could reach the bottom.

It was made completely of rock, with a breakage in the roof that let the sunlight in. It was only about ten feet in height and about twenty in width, but it was gorgeous. There were vines along the walls of the grotto, and I could see little fish in the water. There was a tiny waterfall on the left wall, and it made the most beautiful sound. The sand wasn't as white as on the shore, and it was clumpy and moist, but it was solid and just perfect. There were plants and sea shells everywhere, giving it the most natural effect. Stalagmites and stalactites lined the roof and floor corners. I could feel my grin from ear to ear.

"I knew you would like it," Edward said, taking my hand.

"It's gorgeous," I said, all anger for him gone completely. I leaned into him, looking at his lips. He crushed his to mine, and I opened willingly, tasting his sweet, cinnamon flavor. He brought his hands to my face, holding me in place as he pulled away and returned his mouth to my throat, nibbling there.

"What took you so long?" I asked shakily, trying to keep a hold on my sanity as he nipped along my neck.

"I wanted to make sure it was safe," he whispered against the heated skin of my collarbone. I gave up talking, as I knew if I tried to speak, it would just come out as mumbo jumbo in my state of being. My breathing turned ragged when I felt his kisses drift to the top of my breasts.

With one last open-mouthed kiss above my heart, he pulled away. I looked at him, and he laughed. "You're blushing like fire now," he said. He traced my cheekbone with his fingertips.

I walked into the water again.

"It's warmer here than the rest of the water out there," I mused, "Or did you just pee?" I joked. Edward snorted.

"No. I think it's because sunlight comes through there," he pointed at the holes in the roof, "and the heat is trapped. It probably cools off at night, though."

"Well, I don't want to stick around to find out. I hate the dark. At least out there we have the moonlight," I said.

"Yeah, but now we have a place to go if there is a storm," Edward said. I nodded, remembering how miserable I was during the last cold storm. I shivered at the thought.

Edward sat in the sand, and he looked so yummy sitting there, I had to join him. This place was so beautiful, everything on the island was. And I knew as perfect as everything was, we couldn't stay. It made me sad.

We stayed in the grotto for hours talking and kissing and touching. Edward told me more about his high school and college years, and I shared the same information with him. He couldn't believe that I had only ever really dated one guy, and I couldn't believe he had actually tried cocaine.

"I was drunk. I don't even remember it. One of my friends told me I had the next morning," he explained. "It's like I always say: "I'm never mixing tequila with Jack Daniels again." The waterfall was our only other source of sound, and we had to talk loud over it to hear each other.

And never once did we hear the plane flying above us.

A/N: Sorry this took so long. I've been so busy, it's unreal. I hope this chapter was to your liking. I know that I probably confused you all with describing the grotto, so I have links to pictures of the grotto I have in my head on my profile. The one in the pictures is much bigger than the one in my head, though.

Pregnancy issue: I really have no idea what I will do with that. Bella will def. not have a baby on the island, so that idea is out. I think they have enough to adjust to when they get home without a pregnancy, but who knows…

And also, today is supposedly Reader Appreciation Day, so I'm going to give a BIG THANK YOU to all of you. Really, you guys make my days better. Please review and favorite!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own it, you don't sue me. Deal?

If anyone knows whether Saewod is continuing her story "What Happens in Vegas Follows You Home," please tell me. I would really appreciate it, and I miss the story already.

Chapter Twelve

Day Twenty-Six Stranded

Edward

"Damn it. I hate this. Can't I beat you at just one thing?" Bella exclaimed. We were playing a very heated game of 'rock, paper, scissors,' and Bella had only won three times out of the ten rounds we played.

"Best six out of ten?" I said, trying to cheer her up. I smiled crookedly, knowing how that made her blush. I hoped it was a good blush and that she wasn't truly thinking "Oh, God, this guy's a weirdo." Besides, how would I know? It's not like I smiled at myself in the mirror…often. But my grin had the intended effect on her; she turned crimson. _Good blush, _I thought.

She shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts. _Yeah, she's thinking about last night and the night before that and the night before that._

I had worried that after our first time making love, Bella would pull away from me or grow scared, and not want to do it again, especially after her nightmare. It was one of her traits I was beginning to notice--she was the type of person to overreact, and even the littlest thing could set her off. I overreacted eighty percent of the time, too, so I couldn't exactly fault her. Our first time had been perfect, but lack of confidence and Bella's unusual character made me worry she wouldn't want to do it again.

Boy, had I been wrong. She actually had the opposite reaction. Like I had told her before we found the grotto, I had created a monster--a sex monster. And I loved every bit of it. She never tried to initiate the sexy time, though, but I was starting to think she knew how to get me going. She would give me this look, a look in which her eyes just turned this darker brown color with lust and her lips puckered up, as if she were dying to be kissed. She knew it drove me crazy, especially when one of her eyebrows shot up seductively. To me, it was like she was saying "Come hither, hot stuff" without actually saying it. Either way, I complied every time.

I was a very, _very _happy stranded man. The image of Tom Hanks in _Cast Away_ with his volleyball 'friend' popped into my head, and I was so very thankful to have a human being by my side, especially Bella. If it had been anyone else, I probably would have offed myself by now, and if I had been alone, I may have lasted a week…maybe two. But now we were nearing the fourth week of our stay, and while I was still worried about my family and getting home, I certainly wasn't miserable. And Bella wasn't, either, as far as I could tell. She was just more worried after her nightmare.

"No. I don't think I can take losing one more time. It's really wounding my ego," she said in disdain. She pouted at me, and I couldn't help but laugh.

I opened my left hand out, palm up, and fisted my right hand, putting it on top of my left one, daring her to play again. She sighed, following my actions.

"Rock, paper, scissors," we said together as I tried to ignore the way her hand moved up and down. I landed on rock, since she always chose scissors for some reason. But she didn't have any of those; instead, her hand was fisted with her thumb poking straight up and out.

"What the fuck is that supposed to be?" I asked her. She smirked at me.

"It's a bomb," she responded. "Boom!" She let her hand out of her fist, spreading out her fingers quickly as if her hand had exploded. "It beats rock, paper, and scissors."

"You're so weird, Love," I said, pursing my lips to keep myself from laughing at her absurdness. She giggled.

"You make me that way," she said in a soft voice.

"Oh, _I _make you weird?" I asked, feigning hurt. I touched my hand to my heart, trying to look dumbfounded.

"No," she explained, "you make me happy. And I'm…playful when I'm happy." I smiled at her as her cheeks reddened. I'd seen every part of her, and yet she was still embarrassed around me.

"Why does that embarrass you?" I had to know. She looked up at me, her big brown eyes wide.

"It doesn't really embarrass me. It's just…" she drifted off, twisting her string ring unconsciously and looking down at her fingers. She never stopped touching that thing I gave her, and even though it was just a strand, it made my heart leap that she liked something I gave her. "I can't even remember the last time I was really cheerful, and I don't think I've even tried to crack a joke in, like, three years."

I stared at her, sadness and joy both seeping though my body. Sadness because she had been so unhappy, and joy because I was the one to crack her misery. Her lips turned down in a frown, and her eyebrows puckered. This was her concentrating expression, and to keep her from dwelling on the past, I changed the subject.

"Tell me more about your work. That's gotta be fun, working for a magazine company. My sister would be very envious of you," I said. Bella rolled her eyes.

"I hate my fucking job. What I really wanted to be was a publisher, but there was just nothing available at the time when I finished college. So, I tried what I thought was the next best thing," Bella said. "The only thing I'm good for is correcting all the articles' grammar. I'm not good with hair and makeup tips or what to wear on each day of the week. I remember Mike once asked me to write an article on 'how to tell if your boyfriend is cheating' and I tried; it was a complete disaster."

The only word I seemed to hear was 'Mike'. "Who is Mike?" I asked, trying to keep the curiosity out of my voice. It mustn't have worked, however, because Bella looked up at me, and I could tell that she was trying to read my thoughts.

She looked back down at the sand as she spoke. "He's my boss."

I'd never felt such jealousy in my life. The only time I could think of was when Emmett got a brand new mountain bicycle for Christmas from our folks, and I had to watch him ride it as I played with my toy car. No, that moment didn't even come close to the jealousy I felt now.

"He's also an asshole," Bella continued. I could see her smiling out of the corner of my eye. She knew how I felt.

"You work for a girly magazine company, and your boss is a man," I clarified. "Is he gay?" I asked hopefully. Bella snorted.

"I don't know. Now that I think about it, maybe he is. Maybe he just hides it by flirting with me all the time," she said. I growled, and she batted her eyelashes at me innocently. "But I don't date, as I've told him many times," she went on, rolling over onto her back. Her breasts bounced with the movement, and I was distracted momentarily from my jealous mood.

"Oh, you don't, do you?" I asked, licking my lips. She chuckled.

"Nope. I just fall in love with half-naked stranded men," she said. Her eyes were closed, and the angle of the sun made her eyelashes create a shadow against her cheeks. It was so sexy, and I could feel myself harden.

I cleared my throat, trying to get it together. I failed, of course, giving up and just attacking her into the sand, our limbs flying everywhere. I pulled her face to mine and kissed her roughly, grinding my midsection into her own.

"Just one stranded man," I corrected her, "and you're mine. Always." I kissed her again, her sweet taste coating my taste buds once more.

"Always," she said with conviction, kissing me back. I reflected on our words, and I swore to myself that she would not have to go back to work for _Mike _once we were home. We could move in together, anywhere she wanted. I could finish my internship elsewhere, and we wouldn't have to worry about ever being apart.

* * *

I tossed a banana at Bella, which she almost caught, holding her hands out awkwardly. A smile lit her face when her fingers skimmed the flying fruit, but then she fumbled and dropped it, and her smile turned to a scowl, looking at it on the ground. I couldn't help but laugh as she looked at me, hoping for another one. I walked up to her and held another one out to her.

Just as she reached to grab it from me, I whipped it high above my head, out of her arms' length. "Edward!" she whined, reaching for it, but I was much too tall for her.

"You've gotta be fast, babe," I chuckled. She narrowed her eyes at me and smiled mischievously. Her leg came up and she kneed me in the groin. I fell to the ground, grasping my stomach. She took the banana from me as I fell.

"Fuck!" I rasped out.

"Fast enough for you, _babe?_" I heard her ask, satisfaction coating her voice. I looked up and saw her taking a bite out of the damn banana.

"Mmmm," she moaned, taking another bite slowly.

I got up from the sand slowly, the pain subsiding. I leaned into her ear and whispered, "You're going to pay for that," as huskily as I could. She looked up at me from behind her lashes and crinkled her nose. I touched my lips to hers, sucking on her bottom lip hard. I bit down on it softly as I retreated my face from hers, and her eyes opened slowly, gazing at me with lust. It was that look again, and I sure as hell wasn't going to complain. Well, my poor, beaten shaft might, but I wouldn't.

"You'll have to catch me first," she whispered, and the next thing I knew, she was out of my hold and running away from me. Her white little legs flew around the trees as she bolted.

She had taken to wearing one of the shorts from the suitcase lately, so that she wouldn't be so hot all the time. The only thing I had was my boxers, since the woman's suitcase only had female clothing, and I felt kind of stupid running around in my underwear, so I just ripped my jeans to make shorts. It was a lot better, not to mention comfortable.

I ran after her, but since she had gotten a head start, I couldn't find her right away. I shook my head, smiling at her playfulness.

Figuring she was just hiding behind a tree, I tried to keep my footsteps quiet, which was next to impossible due to all the twigs and leaves on the ground. I kept hearing noises, thinking it was her, ready to jump out and scare her, but it was just the jungle playing tricks on me.

I looked for nearly ten minutes before I finally got frustrated.

"Bella, this isn't funny anymore. Please come out," I said loudly.

I was met by silence, and groaned.

"Bella, come out now, or I won't have sex with you for a whole week!" I yelled. I heard a twig snap behind me, and whirled around. I could see her long hair behind the tree. She must have thought it was covering her, though, because she made no move to get away from me.

I smirked like the Cheshire Cat and tip-toed toward her. I went directly behind the tree and held my breath so she wouldn't hear me. As fast as I could, I jumped in front of her and grabbed her waist, falling to the ground with her. She cried out in surprise, her eyes wide with astonishment.

I leaned up on my elbows and kissed her neck. "Your hair gave you away," I explained. She rolled her eyes, bringing her hand up and swishing her long tresses behind her shoulder.

"It's getting so long. Just like your beard," she said, giggling. She traced my jaw line, scratching the facial hair that now lined it. "You were joking about the no sex thing, right?" she asked, a worried look on her face.

I smiled at her and put my hands behind my head, laying back. She shivered as the wind blew, and when I looked up at the sky through the treetops, I realized it was about to rain. Angry clouds raked the sky, and I heard faint thunder far away. Bella heard it, too, and her eyes grew wide.

"That doesn't sound good," she said. I shook my head in agreement, and I lifted her up to her feet as I stood.

"If it starts to get bad, I think we should move to the grotto," I said. She nodded reluctantly, and I knew how she felt about it. Bella didn't trust the grotto. I didn't, either, since it looked as if it could cave in on us, but it was safer than staying on land, chancing the wind and waves.

I prayed this storm wouldn't be as bad as the last one, but now that we were in the middle of hurricane season, it was likely that it would be worse.

We walked to the shore, and sure enough, twenty minutes later, it started drizzling and the wind picked up. I walked over to the suitcase and collected warmer clothes for Bella. Leaves were flying everywhere, and our fire had gone out again, the ashes drifting in the wind. The only warm garment was a pullover, and I handed it to her. She put it on, and I could see goose bumps on her skinny little legs. I frowned and looked toward the far end of the island where the grotto was.

Bella followed my line of sight, and she said, "No, Edward. I think we should wait. Maybe it isn't even bad. Maybe we're just on the outskirts of the storm."

A tropical fucking storm. Just our luck.

I looked at her and nodded, agreeing with her for now. If it got any worse, we were going in that cave. Bella would probably just blow away with seventy mile per hour winds, and I didn't care what she said. I would drag her kicking and screaming if it meant keeping her safe.

I could just be overreacting, though. Maybe it was just a little storm, no big deal. After all, just this morning it had been warm and mostly sunny. And she probably knew more about this stuff anyway. She was from Florida, where hurricanes frequented, and I was from Chicago. The only natural disaster we ever had was blizzards.

I followed her to our spot in silence.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, I was debating my decision to listen to Bella. The wind had picked up even more, and Bella and I were completely soaked. Her white pullover had turned a murky gray color with the water, and I kept fighting my hair to keep it out of my face. The rain was coming in sheets, hard and cold like diamonds, much worse than the last time.

The wind was blowing so hard that I could barely hear myself as I told Bella we should move before it got even worse.

"We won't have light for much longer, and then it will be impossible to get in the cave," I shouted to her. Her beautiful face was scrunched from the wind blowing so hard. She looked toward the rocks on the other end of the island, her expression one of indecision. The tops of the trees were bent enough to where I thought they would break with the pressure.

"Please don't tell me you want to try to stick through this," I yelled to her. Her eyelashes were watery when she looked back at me.

"I don't know, Edward. The waves! We have to go through the waves to get to the grotto. It isn't safe!" she yelled back. I sighed. She was right.

Suddenly, a flash of light littered the sky and blinded us for a second. The lightening was _so_ close. Then we heard, more than saw, the tree fall before us, struck by lightening. I pulled Bella quickly out of the way before the tree toppled onto us. The thunder shook the ground beneath us with its force. We both looked at the stump of the tree that had been hit with lightening, and it smoked for a few seconds before the rain put it out.

Bella turned and looked up at me, fear in her eyes. "Let's go!" she shouted, taking my hand. I put my arms around her waist and her shoulders, leading her across the island.

Running as fast as we could, it took us about ten minutes to get to the other side. I shook my hair out of my eyes and took in the frightening sight that was the sea before us. Waves were crashing against the sand like angry fighters in a wrestling match.

My idea didn't seem so great anymore. The cliff was all rock, and the only way to get to the opening of the grotto was to swim around the rocks. We wouldn't have to go far in the water, but it was still dangerous, especially with the mad current. And I knew we couldn't fight what was happening on land.

"Edward…" Bella trailed off, taking in everything. My eyes shot to hers, and she was facing the same dilemma as me.

"C'mon," I said, gripping her hands and leading her to the edge of the shore before the waves struck again. She ran with me through the water, and soon we were deep in. The water had risen with the wind and current, so it was deeper than it should have been.

I knew my swimming skills were near perfect, and my legs were as strong as they were when I was in high school, but I also knew those things didn't matter when put up against nature.

"Hold on tight!" I yelled, and was instantly reminded of the plane crash when I had told her to hold onto me. I wasn't sure which situation was worse.

We had to fight the waves, and I lost my footing under the water many times. We finally neared the rocks, and I was already exhausted. My main goal was to put one foot in front of the other and pull myself to my destination. Swimming was impossible with the current, and it kept trying to suck us farther into the sea. I was up to my shoulders in water, and Bella could only hold onto me since her feet didn't touch. Each wave that hit us was harder than the last, and I kept feeling Bella get pulled from me. She held on tight, though, and it was what kept us together. I couldn't hold onto her anymore; I had to use my whole body to fight the current.

I reached the edge of the cave opening finally, but wave after wave crashed over our heads. I had nothing to hold on to, just my feet in the sand beneath the water.

One wave hit us extra hard, harder than the others, and I was thrown into the wall of the cliff hard. I could feel my shoulder get cut and scraped against the rocky edge. We were only about three feet away from the opening, but it was getting harder every second.

"Edward, I'm scared!" Bella cried as the water retreated and sucked us away from the cliff. I braced myself and tried to dig my feet into the sand beneath. She coughed water up and tried to wipe her eyes with her left hand.

"No!" I shouted. "Don't let go of me!"

But it was too late.

The next wave hit us with so much intensity that I was thrown into the rock wall again, harder than the last time. My bare back met the rocks, where Bella had been. I felt the absence of her arms around my neck, and everything went blank for a second until the water retreated again, pulling me forward. I looked around frantically, searching for her.

"BELLA!" I shouted, blinking water out of my eyes. I looked everywhere for any sight of her, but couldn't see anything.

"BELLA!" I shouted again. _She's gone, where is she? She's gone…_ I could feel myself start to go crazy as another wave hit me against the cliff.

A/N: And you hate me. Well, that's okay. You'll love me again with the next chapter, so it's all good.

I only got like 30 reviews for the last chapter, which is half of what I've been getting used to. Oh well, see the product of you guys spoiling me… :D REVIEW! And I'll update sooner!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I only have this story on Twilighted, ff, and my blog. If you find it somewhere else, it's not me, and please notify me immediately. An anonymous reviewer told me last chapter she found it on some site I've never heard of, and I wasn't able to ask her the details, so I would really appreciate someone giving me info. I don't own these characters, but I do own this storyline, and I will protect it no matter what :]

_Previously:_

"_BELLA!" I shouted, blinking water out of my eyes. I looked everywhere for any sight of her, but couldn't see anything._

"_BELLA!" I shouted again. She's gone, where is she? She's gone… I could feel myself start to go crazy as another wave hit me against the cliff._

Chapter Thirteen

Day Twenty-Six Stranded continued

Edward

"Bella!" I called again, shaking the water out of my hair to keep it from getting in my eyes. I could barely see through the fog and the darkness. I looked around frantically, trying as hard as I could to see something, anything.

It suddenly occurred to me that she could be stuck underwater, and I quickly sunk my head below, digging my feet and hands into the sand under me to keep myself from being pulled away.

At first I saw nothing but water, and the salt and pressure stung my eyes. With the current moving me constantly, it was hard to really focus on anything.

I caught sight of large bubbles rushing to the surface of the water about ten feet away from me. What looked like a mass of brown hair swirled below them, going every which way.

My heart leapt, and without a thought, I rushed toward Bella's limp body. She was being thrown everywhere with the waves from what I could tell, and my stomach dropped to my feet when I saw that she wasn't fighting it. I was sucked back toward the cliff as another wave hit my body, but I kicked and pulled my arms up above the water, swimming freestyle toward my girl. The wave came back, and I was pushed toward Bella.

This happened three more times before I finally reached her. I took a hold of her lank limbs, one arm around her waist, and pulled her to the surface. It was important that I kept her face above the water, but it was extremely difficult, as I could barely hold myself above it.

One look at her face made me cringe. _Unconscious, _I thought, _damn it!_ Her face was deathly pale, and her lips were turning blue.

_Water in the lungs, _I assessed. I had to get her to a flat surface and perform CPR quickly. She wouldn't last long if I wasn't careful. I gripped her tight, much like I had during the plane crash. Another wave pushed us, and I didn't fight it, letting it take us toward the cave opening. When the wave retreated, I fought as hard as I could using all my body's energy, swimming against it. It didn't do much good, but at least I wasn't being pulled more into the ocean.

I managed to keep Bella's languid head above the water's surface, even though my own face kept going under. I used my arms to hold her and my legs to kick. My whole body was exhausted, and I knew I was running off of pure adrenaline now, as my veins pumped blood at an alarming rate. I kept swallowing water, and if I wasn't careful, I could drown us both.

Halfway there, another large wave hit us, and we were pulled under the water. I came face first with the sand on the floor of the ocean, and I felt my nose crack hard as I was forced into a flip. I went blank for a second, just staring at the blood leaving my face and floating away.

I was out. It was over. My body was screaming in protest at the thought of trying again. I felt like just moving one more time would kill me. I started to close my eyes in surrender. But just as my lids were about to shut, out of the corner of my eye I saw Bella's long brown hair wave in the water, the strands all separated at the ends. I looked more left and saw the contrast of her white skin against her dark hair. She looked like a mermaid, or an angel, and as morbid as it was, it was the most beautiful sight I'd ever laid eyes upon. If this was the last thing I would see before my death, then that was okay. As long as we were together in the end, nothing else mattered. I smiled sadly, water entering my mouth as I did so.

_Bella, _I thought, mentally tracing her face, _I love you._

Another wave hit me, rushing me forward once again, and reason flooded back into my mind. _This is not the end, _I determined fiercely. Images of Bella--full of life and complete with blushing red cheeks--raced through my head, and I felt strength come back to me. I looked up to the surface of the water, which was only about five feet away. I grabbed Bella around the waist with one arm and kicked up from the ground as hard as I could. I shot up, my head breaking the surface, and my lungs felt like they were leaping with relief. I took deep breaths and waited for another wave to push us toward the opening in the cliff.

The storm still wasn't calming down, and it was nearly pitch black dark. My face was freezing from the water and strong wind. When the wave came back, I fought.

I did this over and over again, the whole time worrying that I wouldn't get to help Bella soon enough. She was turning paler every minute, and I knew that I could lose her if I wasn't fast enough.

Three feet away, two feet away, one foot…finally, I made it to the cave. My feet touched the ground again, and I lifted Bella in both arms, carrying her like a child. She looked so bad, but I tried to keep my anxiety under control.

I dove through the tunnel, and even though it was dark, I could still make out the rocks along the way and avoided hitting them. The water in the tunnel was calm, very unlike the raging storm outside.

When I finally got to the grotto, I lifted Bella out of the water and laid her gently on the sand. I plugged her nose with my fingers and spread her mouth open, shooting my breath into her lungs. Then I started compressions--one, two, three, four, five. Then I breathed into her again.

I'd never had to perform CPR on a drowning patient before, but I remembered the dummy and the embarrassing partner I'd had to work with.

"C'mon, Bella, breathe! Please, breathe for me!" I pleaded, continuing my efforts. I breathed into her again, and pushed my palms into her chest.

I felt her stomach muscles tighten, and her chest rose up with force. Water flew from her mouth in sputters, and her cough was like a sign from heaven. I tilted her head so she could cough all the water out, and her bloodshot eyes opened slightly with a groan. I could feel the giant smile on my face as she looked up at me slowly.

"Edward?" she rasped out. I nodded, for I couldn't speak. I kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, her chin, her eyelids, everywhere I could reach. I kissed her lips softly and looked up at her, my eyes swimming with tears.

"I thought I lost you. Those few minutes felt like forever," I whispered. Her sweatshirt was soaked, and I could feel her shivering. Quickly, I pulled it up from the hem and removed it from her torso, revealing her little blouse. I leaned my forehead against her chest. The thrum of her heart calmed me, and I kissed the cool, wet skin above it, worshipping her.

"My back hurts, Edward," she groaned out. I backed away from her to look at her back. There was blood on the sand beneath her, and I gasped. I turned her over tenderly so she was on her side. Blood lined her shirt in a few spots, and I ripped her shirt off to see how bad it was. I realized her scratches were from when we had been thrown against the cliff, when she had been ripped from me into the current.

I traced the cuts with my fingers, determining how bad they were. "They're not deep," I told her thankfully. "You're going to be okay. You didn't hit your head against the cliff, did you?" I laid her back on her back, my hands covering the scars so they wouldn't hurt her.

"No," she murmured, "I don't think so." I sighed in relief, and my heart finally started to calm down. Her eyes opened and grew more focused, her gaze locking on mine. "Edward, you're bleeding," she said sleepily.

I realized that she was talking about my nose, and bringing my hand to my face, I felt the warm blood coating it. It was very painful, but I'd forgotten all about it when I was saving her. It felt broken, so I grabbed it and yanked it the way it was supposed to be. Bella winced when she heard the muted _crack._

My hands returned to her face, which was slowly gaining color again. I couldn't stop touching her, a reaction from thinking I would never, ever do it again. Her eyes were drifting closed with exhaustion.

"Don't sleep," I pleaded. I didn't want her to close her eyes again, but admittedly, I was tired, too. My whole body and mind were aching, begging me to just pass out.

She gave me a weak smile. "I feel really pathetic. You must be pretty sick of saving me," she said. I chuckled.

"Never. But I think I may have to agree with you on one thing," I said.

"Oh? What's that?" she asked.

"You really do have bad luck," I said, smiling. She laughed, and I could hear it echo around the grotto, even with the angry rain outside. The sound was Nirvana to my ears. I laid on my side next to her and watched her fight unconsciousness. I kissed her lips one more time and said, "You can sleep, Baby. I know you're tired." She didn't seem to have a concussion, so I guessed it was okay. I just wished she would stay up with me so that I could be with her, assured, for a while.

"Love you, Super Edward," she whispered, drifting off. "Thank you, again." she said drowsily. I laughed at her absurdity, and put an arm around her waist as she fell asleep. I watched her for a little while, feeling as if _I_ were drowning just from looking at her, before I found sleep myself.

**Bella**

It must have been a few hours later when I woke because the storm was still raging outside. I'd been through hurricanes before, living in Florida, but it had never been anything outrageous, just a category two or less, and I'd been inside for it. This was only a tropical storm, and I knew that we were actually lucky it wasn't anything greater than that. When storms traveled over water, they gained more power and speed. Hitting land is the only thing that will slow one down. My mom had made me learn everything back and front about it when we moved to Florida.

Edward's arms were still around me, covering the scars on my back and keeping them from getting dirty. His body was partially on top of mine, but I could feel very little of his weight. I looked down, and even through the darkness, I could make out every line separating his abdominals. _Mmm, candy._

I wasn't as cold as I had been, but my hair was still wet, and I was exhausted. My body felt as if it had been hit by a train. I remembered being pulled from Edward in the raging sea. I had been tossed about like a rag doll, not knowing which way was up or down, unable to fight it. It hadn't been long before I had to take a breath, and the feeling of water entering my mouth and lungs made me faint.

It was terrifying to think that I had almost drowned. Edward was always saving me, whether it was emotionally or physically. We needed to get off this island. It was just getting more dangerous by the day. There was the possibility of another storm, one stronger than the one going on outside the cave walls. Who was to say we would survive the next one? Or the one after that? We couldn't risk it, and the stuff we'd been doing to get noticed had been bullshit. We needed something that was bound to get noticed, no matter what.

I looked up into Edward's sleeping face, thinking about everything he'd done for me. He risked his life _again, _just to save me. I couldn't let that happen anymore. Plus, if he was the one who had been pulled into the current, I knew I wouldn't have been able to save him. I would have tried, and probably would have died trying, but it just wasn't possible for me.

We could have both died, and it was the scariest thing in the world. I shivered.

From the light coming through holes in the cave, I could see dried blood caked around Edward's nose. His nose was not lined like it had been, either; I could tell it was still a little off. Water was coming through a few holes in the roof of the cave, dripping in the same spots, and there was sound of the wind whistling against the cave. I lightly pushed Edward off of me, and he laid on his side with a slight snore.

I stood up shakily, making my way to the dripping water. I stood under it, as if it were a shower, and cupped my hand to catch some of the falling liquid. When my hands were full, I walked back to Edward. I washed the blood from his face carefully, making sure no water got into his nose. He didn't even budge the whole time, but as if he could sense my presence, even in his sleep, his lips puckered and kissed my palm, making me giggle quietly. When I was satisfied his face looked less morbid, I walked back to the dripping water, standing under it again. It was cool and fresh, and I opened my mouth to drink some of it. It soothed my bruised flesh, and I took off my tattered shirt and bra so that the cold water could help the sting of my scars. I craned my neck, trying to see how bad the damage was. Blood mixed with the water made pink little droplets run down my backside. I had bruises on my arms in the shape of handprints, and I knew they were from Edward pulling me to safety.

Suddenly, I felt warm hands on my hips, and I jumped. Edward had crept up on me quietly. He kissed my shoulder, my back to his chest. I sighed at the contact. Without words, Edward took the water that was falling, and washed my back with it. His hands were rough and calloused, just as mine were, from living on the island, but he made sure I felt no pain. His touch was full of love, and I couldn't help but moan. When his movements slowed, I turned to face him, the water hitting both of us like a heavy drizzle.

I dropped my arms, uncovering my chest and leaving me with nothing but my shorts. The cold water dripping down my body caused my peaks to harden, and he couldn't help himself; his eyes darted down to my breasts, just like I knew they would. I smiled.

He cleared his throat and forced his gaze to return upwards. Taking a step forward, he closed the distance between us, grabbing my hips again.

"You're so beautiful," He whispered, bringing his lips to mine. We kissed softly for a moment before pulling away. He put his forehead to mine and simply looked at me, his eyes full of love. His hands trailed up my hips toward my waist, then slowly he cupped my breasts. "I thought I would never touch you again," he said. I shook with his words, so full of meaning.

Bringing his head down, he kissed my neck, sucking on the skin a bit. I could feel him place open mouthed kisses along my jaw line. My breath came short, I was so aroused. He kissed his way back to my lips, hungry. He kissed me roughly, and his hands drifted to my jaw line, caressing the skin there and holding me in place. My mouth opened to his, completely of its own accord. My brain had turned to mush, my body feeling faint again. "I thought I would never kiss you again," he said, his voice sad. I could feel tears threaten in the corners of my eyes. I didn't know what to say to him to make him feel better. He was completely right; he'd almost lost me, and I him. So, I kissed him again, hoping to convey my thankfulness and love.

"I love you," I said, "and I'm still here."

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again, Bella. I promise," he said. I shook my head at him.

"It wasn't your fault, Edward. If I had listened to you and come to the cave before the storm got worse, none of this would have happened," I told him, motioning to my bruises. He frowned, and I knew he was inwardly disagreeing, but he didn't want to fight over it. The electricity was still humming between us, and I just wanted to get as close to him as possible. The water was still running down our bodies, and I was starting to get cold. The storm was probably going to last about another day, maybe less, so we weren't going anywhere. Just thinking about it made me hungry.

I touched Edward's chest, admiring the planes in it. "I love you, too, by the way," he said, pulling me out of the dripping water. I led him to the damp sand a few feet away from the water, and laid him down, climbing on top of him. He still looked worried, but I could tell I was calming him. I put my head on his chest, my chin up, and bent my elbows in the sand, looking up at him. We heard a loud BANG against the wall of the cave, and I figured it was probably a tree branch that flew haywire.

Edward brought his hands up around my back and flipped us over so that I was under him. He kissed me passionately, throwing in a few bites for good measure. He ground his midsection into mine, and I could feel every bit of him. His fingers trailed to my bottom, and he quickly pulled off my shorts. The sand was uncomfortable, but I didn't care at the moment. Edward kept a hand under me, around my shoulder so that the scars wouldn't get full of sand. I undid the button of his ripped jeans and pushed them off with my feet. I always loved these moments with him. His sweetness and caring was always appreciated, and I loved him for it, but when he was rough and…manly, it drove me crazy. I never thought that I would become addicted to making love before I'd lost my virginity, but Edward was totally right--he'd created a monster. I knew it was just Edward, though. Had it been anyone else, I wouldn't have fallen in love, and I certainly wouldn't be kicking my underwear off twice a day.

His lips latched onto the wet skin of my neck, and he opened my legs with his own carefully. I could feel him at my entrance, teasing me. "You're driving me insane, Edward. Please!" He chuckled at my impatience, and plunged deep into me, making me feel whole again. The feel of him inside me was one of pure ecstasy in itself. His chest skimmed above mine, putting little weight on me. He surrounded me, completed me.

He moved slowly, savoring every precious movement of our joined bodies. The heat coming from both our forms warmed me instantly, and I forgot all about the fact that I had almost drowned hours earlier. I felt every inch of him gliding against me, thrusting, joining our souls. I moaned as the now familiar burn in my belly started, and his movements quickened. His free hand grasped at the sand beneath us, squeezing the particles through his fingers as his orgasm threatened to take over.

Mine broke free first, numbing my mind and the pain in my back. My walls clenched around him hard, and he followed me to heaven on Earth. I touched my hand to his chest, reminding him of our little problem. I knew it wasn't exactly _safe, _but it was the only plan we had to avoid pregnancy. He pulled out quickly with a groan, spilling onto the wet sand next to us. When he was done, he entered me again, still hard. I chuckled when he collapsed on me. He just couldn't get enough of me, and having him inside me again after such an intense explosion made my insides quiver.

He sighed, putting his ear on my chest. I could feel my rapid heartbeat thumping next to his face. He listened to it for a few seconds before I felt him finally soften, and he pulled out again. I whimpered at the separation, wishing I could just stay attached to him forever. He brought his lips to mine, both of our mouths swollen from attacking each other. He kissed me softly, a reminder of the tenderness and love he had for me, the things that made my heart soar every time I thought about it. I really had the whole package; he was smart, he was funny, he was beautiful, he put up with my snarkiness, he was brave. And he loved _me._

"I thought I would never make love to you again," he said quietly. I kissed him again, assuring him that I was here, and he was here. We were together, and we would stay that way no matter what it took.

A/N: Sorry this took longer than expected. My man came back from work offshore early, and I missed him so much that my laptop didn't even exist for a few days. Sorry again, guys. Anyway, we passed the 400 review mark! I am so happy, you guys don't even realize. You all make my day.

Also, some of you wanted a preview, but have private messaging disabled. If you want previews in the future, please change your settings.

IMPORTANT: I saw some of the cast live on Saturday! Daniel Cudmore, Alex Meraz, Chaske Spencer, Tyson Houseman, and two of the frat boys. They did a charity baseball game in New Orleans, so I went and took a bunch of pictures. Daniel, who plays Felix, is SO hot, and he's six foot eight! Alex, who plays Paul, showed off the whole time, doing flips and stuff. I got a bunch of pictures and a video of them throwing water balloons at each other. Alex is nothing like his character. He was so funny. I will post the pictures on my blog so you can all go see :D


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Not much to say. I don't own Twilight. Don't take bladder infection meds with vodka. Just warning you :D

Chapter Fourteen

Day Twenty-Eight Stranded

Edward

The storm had finally stopped raging outside after two days of being in the cove, and when it was light again, Bella and I were going to go back on the island. I was worried about what we would find--what if there was no supplies left? What if there was no more food, and the spring had been trashed to the point of no return?

Then we would really be in trouble. I tried not to think about it.

I lay next to Bella's sleeping form, spooning her body. I couldn't keep my hands off of her, and at first she had gotten aggravated when I kept waking her. Each time I would fall asleep, my dreams would turn to nightmares of her beautiful face, deathly pale and sickly. I would be swimming to her, and no matter how hard I kicked and thrashed, I could never reach her, as if I were stuck in the same place.

I woke up in a cold sweat each time, gasping for breath. I would see her lying next to me every time, and she was pale and her breathing was not strong enough for my satisfaction. I had shaken her awake, just to make sure she was okay. After the third time, she got really pissed at me, but seeing my worried face made her hold in her anger.

So I gave up on sleeping. Looking down, I measured Bella's breathing again. The back of her ribs moved slowly with her breath in a steady rhythm, and the movement stretched her scars when she inhaled.

I trailed a cold finger around the longest scar, careful not to touch the scab itself. It was about four inches long, but it wasn't deep. We would have to make sure the gashes didn't get infected. Lying there, staring at the angry marks that marred my beautiful girl's back, made me want to try everything in my power to get away from this island. We needed to go home. Our time here had been fun for the most part, but not knowing what was going to happen tomorrow, or in a week, terrified me. The unknown wasn't safe, and I wasn't about to take a chance with Bella's safety. Now that I finally had a girl, one that I wanted to take care of, I wasn't going to lose her.

"Edward," she murmured in her sleep. Her voice sent a jolt through my spine, and I tightened my hold around her. I kissed the back of her head, and tasted the nasty salt water.

I wanted to bring her home to my enormous, empty bathroom, and just wash every piece of her glowing skin. I wanted to lay her on my big bed and ravish her, and then we could wake up between the white Egyptian sheets every morning and do it all over again.

I wanted my first bath back home to be with Bella. I would litter the floor and counters with candles and rose petals, and shampoo the nasty dirt and sand and salt from her hair and body.

I took comfort from all the things we could do once we hopefully returned. I knew it would be so hard to be away from her for just an hour or so after being with her 24/7 on the island. It would take a long time for us to make the transition back to normal life. Well, as normal as life could be now that I had her in mine. Looking back at Bella's back, I kissed the scar softly, thinking of ways to get a plane to notice us.

When Bella started to stir an hour later, I helped her get up, trying to ignore her naked body. I grabbed what was left of her shirt and shorts and tried to put them on her. She looked at me like I was silly.

"That's a lost cause," she said, taking the ripped shirt from me and dangling it in front of my face. "It looks more like a rag now." I laughed. "I'll just go naked," she continued, shrugging. My laugh was cut short, and I blinked a few times to clear my head. Had I heard that right? Bella walked away, holding the shorts and her underwear, and smirking back at me.

I pulled on my shorts and joined her at the edge of the water. The tide had risen with the storm, and I knew it would be harder to get out now. But we had to do it--it's not like we could just stay in the cave forever. First, we would die, and second, we would never be seen to get rescued.

"How bad do you think it is?" Bella asked, referring to the damage on the island. I tried not to look at her naked, knowing it would make me stupid with desire, even under the circumstances. I still failed, though, and Bella covered the girls with her arm when my eyes darted to her, a wide smile on her face.

I chuckled. "I don't know. I think it will be okay. This island's probably been here for thousands of years--if it's survived a hurricane before, it can do it again," I said. I took her hands and led her through the water. The light from the holes in the ceiling of the cave was the only thing allowing us to see, and I worried it would be darker underwater because it was deeper. "Hold onto my back, and kick your feet. I'll swim us out of here, okay?" She nodded her head at my request, and we were off.

I made it to the other side without any problems, and we both gasped for breath when we finally reached the opening. Seeing the sun was such a relief after not having it for over a day and a half. I swam out more, getting my first view of the island. I couldn't see much because the cliff was blocking me, but the few trees I could make out were bent all the same way from the wind blowing so hard. It didn't really worry me…yet.

We swam around the cliff, to the other side of the island where we usually resided, taking in everything that had happened. Many trees had been snapped in half, the tops just dangling on the ground.

When we finally reached our side, Bella yelped.

"The suitcase! Edward, it's gone!" she swam to shore frantically. I followed her, amusement taking over. I tried not to burst out laughing as she ran around in the nude, searching for the suitcase with the only clothes we had. Water dripped down her breasts and long legs as she did so, and the whole scene was like something out of a really funny movie.

She looked at me with a pout, probably hoping I would help her look for the clothes. I would do no such thing, however.

"_I'll just go naked_," I said in a high, girly voice, mocking her words from earlier. "I bet you wish you had that rag of a shirt now, huh?" I keeled over in hysterical laughter, and I could feel her scowl upon me. She pulled on the panties and the shorts, but was left with nothing for her torso. She walked up to me quickly, mad. I could see her eyes smiling, though.

"And what if a plane comes by today, Edward, and we get saved? Would you really want another man to see my chest, just because I can't find a shirt?" she said in a mocking tone, matching mine. I frowned for a second, thinking about it before I made up my mind.

"Let's find that suitcase."

***

We did not find the suitcase, but by some miracle, my old undershirt was caught in a tree somewhere, along with some of the underwear. The suitcase must have toppled over, making everything inside fly around, then floated away.

I wasn't sure what I liked more: Bella naked, or Bella wearing my t shirt. It was hot again, so she just put on the red panties this time. A lot of the food we had picked had been either trashed or drowned, so we went in search of more. Luckily, the food trees stayed mostly intact, and we were able to eat an okay meal.

And now we were back to square one. I wasn't going to be ignorant this time, however. As Bella walked around, I dug up the word "SOS" in the sand next to us. Maybe, just _maybe_, a plane would see it, and send someone to our aid. It looked big enough for a plane to see it from high above, but the problem was whether a plane would even pass by us at all.

The air was dry and hot, very different compared to what we had experienced before and during the tropical storm. I was already sweating, even though I was just clad in shorts. I started a fire anyway, hoping that it would add to the possibility of getting noticed.

I realized Bella had been gone a long time, probably around a half hour, and I grew worried. We never spent this much time apart; every time she would "go to the bathroom," she would always be back within ten minutes, at most. I looked around the broken tree line, but caught no sight of her. Concerned, I started walking the path she had followed.

I finally found her ten minutes later, sitting in the fresh water in the spring. It seemed unharmed, but something was wrong with Bella. She was just sitting there, looking down at the water. She was perched right at the edge, in all the rocks, barely any water under her. She gathered water in her hands and ran it over her stomach, sighing. She never even noticed me approaching. I watched the water cascade down her abdomen, dripping down her legs and returning to the spring. Why did she look so sad?

"Love? Is something wrong?" I asked loudly, hoping my voice didn't shake with the worry looming in my chest.

My words had startled her, and she turned her head quickly to look at me. Giving me a small smile, she said, "No, I'm just having cramps." I could see through her little fib, so I walked over to her. She had gotten rid of the shorts, and all she had on was my tee and the red lacy thong. I thought this rather strange, so I sat next to her in the water.

She frowned deeply, and I took her head in my hands gently. "Really, Bella, what's wrong? I can't help you unless you let me."

She sighed again, finally looking at me. There was so much sadness in her brown orbs.

"Igotmyperiod," she rushed out. I didn't understand her, especially given the fact that she was blushing profusely.

"Um…what?" I asked dumbly. She threw me a dirty look and repeated herself.

"I. Got. My. Period." _Oh._ Yeah, I could see how that would distress her. I pulled her close to me, making sure the water still hit her. I poured more over her stomach--it must have soothed the ache. I understood that she was in pain, but I couldn't comprehend why she seemed depressed. She leaned her forehead against my shoulder.

"Why are you sad, baby?" I asked, "These things are natural."

"I'm embarrassed, Edward. This must be so disgusting to you. And I have nothing to stop the-the bleeding," she choked out, terrified for my reaction.

"Bella," I chided, "nothing you could ever do would disgust me. Well, unless you pulled a Marilyn Manson and wiped your butt on an American flag in front of a large crowd, and to tell you the truth, I'd probably find even that fascinating if you did it. But, anyway, my point is that you shouldn't be embarrassed or disgusted. And we can always find something to hold the bleeding. You're probably not even bleeding much anyway, what with not getting the proper nutrition your body needs." I looked at her questioningly.

She nodded. "No, it's not much. I didn't think I would start at all because of the added stress, but I guess it just delayed it. I counted, and realized I probably should have started a few days ago. It likely won't last long, either." She smiled at that thought, and I just had to know what was on her mind.

"What's making you grin all of a sudden?" I asked. She laughed.

"This period better not last long, because I don't think I can refrain from jumping you for any long length of time," she giggled. I laughed with her, and kissed her softly, showing her how _not _disgusted I was.

She gasped all of a sudden, and I pulled away, thinking she was in pain.

"What?"

"How many days has it been since the crash?" she asked me hurriedly. I counted quickly in my head.

"Almost thirty, I think, if I haven't lost count," I said, suddenly worried by her alarmed expression. She gasped, her eyes widening and gaining tears.

"Edward," she cried, "my birthday was last week! I've been twenty-three for six days and never even realized it!"

My jaw dropped to the ground. Bella's birthday? What was I supposed to say to that? "Happy birthday" wouldn't go over well. She put her head down, and my heart broke for her.

"I'm sorry, love," I said softly. She shook her head, her long hair swishing from the movement.

"It's no big deal," she added after a few seconds. "I've never really enjoyed birthdays anyway." Her voice shook, but I didn't want to call her out on her lie.

After a couple minutes of silence, she looked up at me. There was determination on her face and all the tears were gone. I picked her up bridal style, carrying her back to our usual lounge area. I tried to give her privacy as she changed clothes. When she came find me, I was poking the fire to make it bigger. She was only wearing my shirt and new, black panties. I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively, and she giggled. I grabbed her leg, making her fall gently on the sand next to me.

I laid her down and hovered over her, attacking her swollen lips.

"You don't know what your wearing my shirt does to me," I growled.

***

A few days later, I decided it was time for another special dinner. The last week had been the hardest so far considering everything that had transpired. The storm, Bella's womanly "problems," as she called them, and her depressing skipped birthday realization had all weighed down our little happy bubble.

I wanted to do something special to celebrate her birthday, but there was only so much in my power. So another special dinner made by me was going to have to suffice.

Bella's scars on her back were healing, and I made sure nothing got in the way of their progress. I didn't let her lift a finger for anything strenuous, especially picking food or catching fish. We hadn't even made love for six days, but her period was also to blame for that. But now she was done with it for another month, and I couldn't be happier. I couldn't stop thinking about how sweet our reunion would be as I rubbed aloe vera juice on the pink gashes lining her hot, roughening skin. She sighed at the cool contact.

"I still can't believe you're a doctor," she said softly. I smiled, thinking about the first time I told her about it.

"Do you doubt my skills?" I asked.

"No, not your skills. Your maturity, sometimes, yes, but never your intelligence and ability," she laughed. I scoffed at her, finishing the last mark and kissing her shoulder.

"Hilarious, Bella. Why don't you go pick some avocados, and I'll try to catch us some fish," I suggested. I wanted her out of sight so I could make another surprise for her. She turned around quickly in surprise, complaining that I hadn't let her pick anything in the last few days and asking why today was different.

"Your back is almost healed, love. C'mon, I can't do all the work around here," I said jokingly. She frowned and stared at me suspiciously before jumping up and doing as I told her. Once I saw that she was through the tree line, I ran to the water and searched quickly for fish. I'd gotten much better at catching them since the first time a month ago, and I didn't even need a weapon to beat it with anymore. It was all about speed and aim, two things I never had trouble with.

I caught two flounder, our favorite, and what seemed to be the most abundant on the island, and put them to cook over the fire. Bella still wasn't back, thankfully, so I filled our cups with water from the spring. We had emptied a wine bottle and filled it with the fresh water so we wouldn't have to keep rushing back for more every few hours. Most of the things we had scrounged since we got stranded had been damaged or scattered for the storm, but nothing was out of use. Every object, broken or not, was still of some sort of value. It was a small wonder how cavemen lived like this. Didn't they ever get bored?

And Adam and Eve…we were so much like them in a way. This island was our planet, and we were the only beings. It was romantic in so many ways. I just wished it was perfect no matter the circumstances. I wondered if the first man and woman had bickered and played as we did, and if they ever wished there was someone else around for company or to complain to. Sometimes I wished Emmett was here to see Bella, so I could brag to him how lucky I was. And if Esme were here, she would _definitely _never question my sexuality again. The thought made me laugh out loud.

I set a shirt out on the sand as if it were a table cloth and put our "cups" in the corners.

"What are you doing?" Bella's voice called out from the opening in the trees. I looked up and saw her carrying a few avocados and bananas. "What's all this?" She started walking toward me, a sly grin from ear to ear.

I smirked crookedly and shrugged, hoping she would appreciate this little sentiment. "Happy birthday." She stopped in her tracks suddenly, staring at me, just five feet away. She seemed a bit confused, like she didn't know what to think of what I had done.

Then she smiled. "You know, I usually hate gifts. Especially when I have nothing to give back," she said, walking again. She fingered the string ring I had given her and sat down next to me. She emptied her arms of the fruits and looked at me lovingly.

"You do?" I asked, adding this fact to the list of things I knew about her. She nodded.

"But I think I'll let it slide this time. Only because I love you," she added. I handed her water to her. She would have to get used to receiving gifts if we ever got back to the states. There was no way I would _not _give her special things. I bit my tongue, however, and kissed her sweetly, inwardly cheering at the other "gifts" I would give her tonight.

The sun was going to go down in about another hour, and the heat was starting to die out. I took our fish from above the fire and handed one to her. It had taken a while to get over the weird taste of an almost-raw fish, but now we had gotten to the point where we would take whatever we could possibly get. I held my cup up to toast before we ate, and she held hers up, too.

"Happy birthday," I said again. She rolled her eyes playfully but touched her water to mine anyway.

"Thank you, Edward," she said.

Once we were finished, Bella stared down at our fish bones, deep in thought.

"I used to love sushi," she said. I chuckled at her admission.

"Well, isn't that a good thing?" I asked. "Seems to be the only thing to eat around here other than the stupid fruit."

"I don't think I'll ever want raw fish again. I would eat at my favorite sushi restaurant every Friday. I would go to the bar all by myself every Friday and became pretty good friends with the people who worked there, even though half of them didn't know English," she said, pausing. "I bet they're wondering where I am. Or maybe they know what happened." She frowned and looked down at her hands in her lap. I took our fish bones and threw them in the fire, not wanting her to have a reminder.

"Hey, I whispered, taking her cheek in my hand. She looked up at me sadly. "Don't think about it. Everything will be fine soon," I promised her. I wished I could promise more, but doubt was honestly starting to eat its way into my brain. We'd been here for almost a month and a half, and still there was no sign of being rescued.

She nodded, and I could see she didn't really believe me, but she was going along with it just to satisfy me. It made my heart ache.

I pulled her up so that we were standing together. I wanted to comfort her, but I didn't want to keep giving her empty words, so I led her through the woods, her left hand in my right. She didn't question me, didn't fight me; she just followed me through the trees. Just five minutes after crossing the forest entrance, I stopped and pulled her close to me. We couldn't hear or see the ocean from here, and that was what I wanted. From this spot, an onlooker wouldn't have known we were on an island at all.

"I'm sorry," I said to her. "I wish I could assure you more, Bella, but I don't know what to say other than to hope." I kissed her forehead, and she wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Thank you for the present, Edward," she said, "I'm sorry I'm being so pessimistic. It's not your fault." She sighed and sat down. I sat, too.

"This paradise doesn't seem like paradise anymore, huh?" she asked sadly.

"Paradise is anywhere you are," I said. She looked up at me, finally meeting my eyes. Hers were swimming with tears, but none spilled over. She smiled brilliantly, and I thought for a moment she was completely happy, hope or not.

"I love you," she said. She cupped my face in her small, warm hands, and brought her lips to mine, kissing me wildly. Her fingers drifted into my hair, pulling at the strands. I moaned at the feeling. She was everywhere, and everything in my world.

"Bella," I moaned, my voice husky and sultry. Her tongue swiped my lips, and I gave her entrance into my mouth. She whimpered and shook, even though she was the one in control.

She rubbed my hardness through my shorts, and I gripped her hips roughly, bringing her impossibly closer. My hands made their way through the hem of her shirt, and I kneaded her breasts through the little silky bra. I gasped when I felt her peaks harden under my touch. I could feel them perfectly through the fabric, and it was amazing.

She started to climb my thighs, and straddled my hips. I bucked upward, trying to create friction for the both of us.

"Hmmm, Edward," she groaned, pulling her lips from mine for a second. I trailed my mouth down her neck, sucking the soft skin there. I bit lightly, making my mark even though there was no one here to see she that she was mine. The heat of her core above my erection was sublime, and I started to go mad with lust. I looked up at her again when she started grounding onto me, and saw that her eyes had darkened with lust, too. I kissed her again, and started to pull her shirt off.

_Bzzzzzzzzz….._the sound came from nowhere, and I froze. Bella kept kissing me, however. She mustn't have heard it. It didn't stop, and I jerked in surprise. She felt my sudden movement, and broke her lips from mine, looking at me questioningly.

"Do you hear that?" I asked Bella. The sound seemed to be getting louder every second. She scrunched her eyes in concentration, straining her ears to hear what I was hearing. She nodded slowly, looking back at me. I whirled around, looking for the source.

My heart was beating a mile a minute.

My eyes darted through the sky, the buzzing noise getting closer, but the source was nowhere in sight. Bella jumped up from her little seat on the ground, throwing sand everywhere in her haste. She ran to the shore with me hot on her heels. Running around the trees slowed us down, but we finally made it. The buzzing sounded an awful lot like a--

"It's a plane! It's a plane, Edward!" she called back to me. Her arms flailed around, trying to get the plane's attention. It was facing sideways, far in the air, just a speckle the size of an inch where I was standing. Bella had run knee deep into the water, and was screaming at the top of her lungs. I ran to her, hoping my movement would get the plane's attention. We both flung our arms like birds, yelling.

But nothing happened. The plane continued on its course, so far away from us. There was little chance anyone even saw us.

"NOOO! LOOK BACK! TURN AROUND! NOOOO!" Bella yelled. She was hysterical. I saw tears running down her cheeks. I felt numbness spreading throughout my body as the plane's buzzing grew faint. Bella's yells turned to sobs as I turned to her.

I grabbed her around the shoulders and held her tightly as her body wracked with her cries. She collapsed in my arms, and I went down with her. I wiped her tears with my fingers, fighting my own. Her hopelessness grew with the fading sound of the plane, and she sounded more broken than ever.

This was the worst that had happened. This was our breaking point. This was even worse than when she ran from me.

After about twenty minutes of holding her as she cried, I picked her up bridal style and carried her back to the fire to dry off. She cried in my shoulder, and I knew now that there was definitely _nothing _I could say.

A/N: Sorry, guys. But think about it. Could a plane really just turn around and go get them? I don't think so. Hopefully someone saw their fire and the SOS.

Anyway, my updates won't be as fast anymore because I am in the process of writing a new story. I will probably post it in May, and if you guys like angst, then you will love my new story. Add me to author alert, and you'll know when I post it.

Please review! Can we get to 600 with this chapter?

We're getting close, guys. The rescue is near, I promise!

Review and get a preview!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen **

**Day Forty One Stranded**

**Bella**

**A week had passed. A whole, horrible week. Seven days since the plane crossed in the sky, and there was not one sign that anyone had seen us. It felt like the end of the world.**

**Really, how long would it take for another plane to pass? And what were the chances that it would even see us? Were we doomed to this island? Had Edward and I done something in a past life to deserve this complete horror? I knew I was being a bit irrational and pessimistic, but seeing the plane just keep going, hearing the sound fade into the distance as I stood there, helpless, I couldn't help but lose all hope.**

**And Edward…my Edward. He was coping with both his sadness and mine. I felt like a complete bitch. We hadn't spoken much in the last seven days, and it was terrible. But I knew it was because we couldn't just pretend to be happy and get over the plane's ignorance. We couldn't be our normal selves again, the happiness we had formed on the island was just gone. It would take some time for both of us to build up hope again.**

**Every night when we would try to sleep, the image of the plane just flying away made me cry again, and Edward would hold me and tell me he loved me. I was a complete jerk, not even asking him how he was dealing with it all. The fact that he ignored his sadness and took care of mine spoke volumes about his character and the love he held for me. It also killed me that he didn't seem to want to touch me. The voice of reason in the back of my mind simply reminded me that he was probably too scared to make a move because of all the emotions I kept spilling over. I understood to an extent but we hadn't gone this long since we started. Fourteen days was my limit, depressed or not.**

**Now we had been staying close to the edge of the island at all times, making sure one of us was always looking for any sight of a plane or boat. Edward had taken to making larger fires, hoping they would get noticed. If I didn't want to get rescued so badly, I would worry that he would light the whole island on fire.**

**I sat on my large boulder, twirling a flower Edward had given me between my fingers. I watched him add more wood to the already raging fire before us, my eyes darting up to the sky every few minutes. I stared at the little pink petals, so soft and pretty in my hands. I thought of a time when I was younger--my mom had tried to plant roses in the flowerbed in front of our house, but, like most things my mom does, the hobby didn't hold her interest for long, and the poor plants had died within a month.**

**I wondered what she was doing now, at the particular moment. Had she taken up another hobby, hopefully to distract her from the weight of my "death"? Or was she too heartbroken to even function, as I guessed my dad was? I pushed the pointless thoughts away--they weren't going to help me any. Bringing my face up to smell the flower, my eyes met Edward's a few feet away. His expression was one of a man who was distraught. I was starting to grow accustomed to this look on his face: worry. I smiled at him slowly, hoping he got the message that I was okay. It didn't seem to satisfy him, however, because he walked closer to me and sat down slowly.**

"**I hate seeing that look on your face," he said. It was the most he had spoken to me in what felt like forever. I attempted another smile and cupped his face lightly with my palm.**

"**Not as much as I hate seeing the look you're giving me, Edward," I replied. He leaned into my touch and kissed my palm.**

"**This can't tear us apart. I won't let it," he said a few seconds later. I shook my head in agreement.**

"**Then why is it the only time you seem to really **_**want **_**to be around me is when I cry every night? Other than that, you've been ignoring me."**

**His eyes grew wide at my admission, and I could see remorse taking over his face. "Bella," he started, "I'm so sorry. I thought you **_**wanted **_**to be alone in your thoughts. I didn't think you were really in the mood for me to be in boyfriend mode for you." He blinked quickly and looked away from me. "Most of the time, I can tell what you're thinking and what you want, but I guess sometimes you can be a complete mystery to me, Bella Swan. It's pretty frustrating, let me tell you." I laughed out loud, **_**really **_**laughed for the first time in a week, and it became contagious as Edward chuckled along with me. The fact that he was trying to figure me out when no one else had ever even bothered was heartwarming and pretty amusing.**

"**Looks like there's one thing you're not perfect at, Cullen," I teased. My heart felt slightly better; I was glad that it had been somewhat resolved. So long as Edward and I were okay, I couldn't be devastated. I also couldn't wish to have never been stranded here, because then I wouldn't have fallen in love. It was amazing how just looking at his face cheered me up. I was still going crazy on the inside with all the anxiety and worry about what was going to happen to us, but I knew it could be much worse. I was so glad that we had finally settled our awkward silences and were hopefully on our way to happiness because if I didn't have Edward…I couldn't even think about the wreck I would be. So long as I had him, I could hope again and endure anything.**

**~***~**

**The sun was really starting to drain us out, still hot even though it was now almost October. My body had lost about seven pounds just from being on the island, and I had been slim and a little on the weak side to begin with, so the heat was definitely taking its toll on me more so than Edward. He still looked like a bathing suit model, but I could tell he had slimmed a bit, too. His cheeks had sunken in just a touch, but I could hardly tell because of his heavy stubble. His hair was lighter than it had been when I first met him on the plane, and now it was this pretty lighter bronze color. My hair had lightened up, too, but since it was so long, only the top of it got lighter while the rest stayed dark. I was sure I looked extremely weird, and looking at my reflection in the water didn't help much. Edward assured me it was fine, but he had a knack for stretching the truth to make me feel better. If I ever went home, the first place I was going was the bathtub, and then in front of a mirror. And then a refrigerator. And then a bed, respectively.**

**I was surprised that my face hadn't broken out from not washing it, but Edward said that salt water was good for the skin, and it actually cleans the face from infection like acne, and it made sense; my mom had always made me gargle salt water when I'd had a sore throat. I still felt disgusting, though, from all the nastiness that coated my body. Getting my period had been a relief at first, but then I felt embarrassment. I knew we were taking huge chances with having so much unprotected sex, but we just couldn't get enough of each other. If I got pregnant, I would accept it, and I wouldn't look at it as a problem or consequence of a stupid action. Edward would be with me, I knew, and we would be happy. I wasn't hoping for it, definitely, but it wasn't a dreadful outcome either. We probably should have at least talked about it more.**

**I was so embarrassed because I had nothing to cover the blood with, and no girl ever wants to be humiliated that way. I was afraid that Edward would be disgusted by me, but, as always, he proved to be perfect. I hated that he had to ignore the icky hair on my armpits and legs, and I couldn't wait to hopefully get home and shave it all off and be the feminine woman I once was. Well, as feminine as I had been. It seemed as if he didn't pay attention to my grossness at all. But, then again, I was sure he had seen much grosser things interning in a hospital than the sight of my legs.**

**I walked to where Edward was standing, working on something new, and told him I was going to the fresh water to bathe a little. He smiled and kissed me sweetly, telling me not to trip. I scowled at him as I walked away.**

**The fresh water was such a heaven compared to the rest of the island lately. When Edward wasn't around, I would roll around in the cool water, stretching my aching muscles and soothing the sunburn. The tiny waterfall was great, too, especially when I wanted a "shower". I was scared to contaminate the water with all the salt coating my body, however, so I barely let myself enjoy the freshness and just drank from the spring instead.**

**I probably looked like a complete fool rolling around in the water like an overgrown child, but I didn't care. The cool water and Edward seemed to be the only things that made me feel better about our situation lately. I sighed in contentment when the water soaked through my shirt and hit my skin. I rolled slowly over and over, making sure to get my front, too.**

"**What are you doing, silly girl?" Edward's silky voice called out. I stopped in mid-roll and got up quickly, glancing toward him as my face turned red. He was standing a few feet away, pursing his lips to keep from laughing at me. "Was that your idea of bathing?" he chuckled.**

**I scoffed and turned away so he wouldn't see how embarrassed I was. "Shut up," I told him. He snickered and walked up to me.**

"**You're so funny. I've never met someone so unpredictable. Emmett would have a cow if he saw how whipped I am now. Especially since I dogged him for years for doing whatever Rose said."**

**I smiled at his admission of being whipped. "Your family sounds so cool. I wish I could meet them."**

**Edward rolled his eyes playfully. "Oh, they would love you. Probably more than they love me! My own mom thought I was gay for the longest time!" Edward said. Now **_**that **_**made me laugh.**

"**You're kidding!" I sat down on a large rock and dipped my feet in the water. Edward sat beside me and continued.**

"**She sure did. One day she gave me this whole speech on how she loved me no matter what I did, and if I ever needed to tell her something, not to hesitate and just come out with it. I couldn't figure out what the hell she was talking about, and then she said 'come out' again with heavy emphasis, and I realized she thought that I was homosexual." Edward rolled his eyes again as I burst out laughing. "'Just because I never brought a girl home doesn't mean I'm gay!' I had told her."**

"**Did she believe you?" I asked curiously. Edward froze for a second, contemplating his next words.**

"**I think so," he said slowly, "but it took some convincing." He ducked his head shyly and touched the top of his back. It only made me laugh more.**

"**I can't wait to meet your mom," I said. He looked back up at me, smiling.**

"**I can't wait, either. She definitely won't think I'm gay after she sees **_**you**_**," he said.**

"**Yeah, right. With how hairy I'm getting, she'll **_**think **_**I'm a man, and your whole plan will have backfired," I said. I looked down at my legs and cringed again.**

**Edward shrugged. "Maybe you're right." My jaw dropped open--I wasn't expecting him to agree with me. He really thought I was hairy? I pouted.**

**Edward laughed. "Bella, I'm joking. I don't think you're hairy, and you shouldn't, either. And even if you were, I'd still do you." I snorted loudly.**

"**And what if I had been born a man? Would you go gay for me then?" I asked, chuckling. I couldn't wait to hear what he had to say about **_**that**_**.**

**He ran a hand through his hair, really thinking about what he was going to say. Or perhaps he was just pretending to consider it to humor me. Then he grimaced.**

"**I don't know, baby. Sex would definitely be a lot more different," he said, shaking his head. "And I really can't imagine you with a penis, nor do I want to." I laughed hard, grabbing my stomach from giggling so much.**

**I wiped a tear from my eye and got up, walking back to the shore. Edward followed me, smirking.**

**~***~**

**The sun was starting to go down as we both sat next to the shore, talking and playing another game of rock, paper, scissors.**

"**I'll never understand why paper beats rock," I said as I lost again. Edward chuckled and dug out my name in the sand. He looked back at me hungrily, and I could feel the electricity and the sexual tension in the air. It had definitely been too long.**

"**Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked as I saw his piercing green eyes gaze toward my chest. I was inwardly blushing and holding in my laughter. His eyes snapped back up to meet mine, not one bit of guilt in them. He smiled wide and came even closer to me, grabbing the hem of my shirt.**

"**I was just thinking that this needs to come off. For good this time," he said. He pulled it up and off fluidly, as if he did it every day. Technically, he did do it every day before my period came and the whole plane fiasco.**

"**Hey!" I protested jokingly. His hands left my body and threw the shirt away, but his eyes just went straight back to the cloth that covered my chest.**

"**From now on, each time you lose to me, you have to take off a piece of clothing," Edward affirmed. My mouth dropped open in shock, but I readily agreed under one condition.**

"**Fine, but you have to do the same," I added smugly. I knew this was going to be fun. Edward had only one piece of clothing on, and I had three more--my bra, my panties, and the shorts. Edward smiled again; he thought that since I never won, I would be naked before him. "And whoever ends up naked first has to run into the water and stay naked the rest of the day," I clarified.**

"**You're on," Edward agreed, putting his fist up to mine, starting the game.**

**I lost the first and second time, then only clad in my undies, I finally beat him, and he was forced to take off the shorts. I was sure he wished he didn't go commando for once. I laughed and teased him as he pulled off his ripped jean shorts, getting naked in front of me.**

"**Okay, you remember the deal. Now go run in the water," I pointed toward the waves, still laughing. He smirked devilishly and grabbed me around the waist. I tried to push his arms off me, but he wouldn't budge. He pulled down the underwear so that we were both in the nude, then he picked me up, threw me over his shoulder and ran toward into the water. "Edward!" I chastised. I guess I couldn't complain, though-- this position gave me a great view of his ass. He carried me to the deeper end, about four feet deep, before he dropped me into the water. I sputtered and writhed, trying to stand up.**

"**You're a sore loser," I said. Edward wrapped his arms around me and we floated deeper, holding each other.**

"**And you're a cheater," Edward replied. I wrapped my legs around him and let him take us wherever he wanted. I kissed him passionately and when I felt him stirring beneath me, I couldn't help but look down through the clear blue water at him. I looked back up and kissed him again, treasuring the way his lips felt on mine. He moved one arm from around me, gripping me around my bottom to hold me instead. His free arm came up to fondle my breasts softly. After having waited almost two weeks, desire shot through my limbs and insides quickly, making it difficult to not just attack him.**

"**Edward," I moaned when he moved his lips from my lips to my throat. He moaned in response, sending more tingles through my spine. I reached between us and stroked him, slow and then fast, just the way I knew he liked it.**

**We stayed out in the water, kissing and touching, but never going further, as the sun went down fully. I hadn't realized how long we had been out until I felt my fingers prune, and Edward picked me up once more and carried me back to our sleeping spot. I was tired earlier than usual because of all the times I had woken up during the nights, crying for hours. This night would be different, however. We watched what little was left of the sunset, and when I saw that Edward's eyes were also drooping, I pulled him down beside me. I had really hoped tonight would be the night in which we **_**reunited **_**ourselves, but we were just both too tired, so it would have to wait at least another day. We laid down and I fell asleep shortly after Edward did.**

_**I was lying in the sand, letting the sun warm my body. The heat felt delicious, especially with the slight breeze cooling me down if I got a little too hot. I was watching Edward swim naked in the water a little ways away. We had made an agreement that we would stay naked from now on since there was really no reason for clothing anymore, plus, if a plane did happen to come by, the passengers were more likely to see a naked couple than a clothed couple. They were Edward's words, and I was just going along with it.**_

_**Sooner than I anticipated, Edward was close to me, murmuring my name and caressing my face. I smiled and pulled him close to me, capturing his lips with my own. The waves hit farther than before, and we both got soaked lying in the sand on the shore. It didn't matter, though--Edward was the most important thing in the world in that moment. He put his weight on me, but I wanted to try something different all of a sudden. I wanted him to feel **_**my **_**weight, be under **_**my **_**control. I pushed on his chest so that he would pull back, and once he did, I pushed him back onto the ground easily, more easily than was realistic with the little muscle mass I had, but I didn't pay attention. I got on top of him and straddled his hips, seeking friction.**_

"_**Bella…" he cried in want. I traced his abdominal muscles as I sought for his--**_

**And then I woke up. I heard Edward sigh in relief beside me.**

"**Thank God you're awake. I've been calling your name for ages," Edward whispered. I shivered at the memory of the dream, still groggy with fatigue and unfulfilled **_**need. **_**"It's okay, baby, it was just another nightmare," Edward yawned out, "you're okay." I looked toward his exhausted face in disbelief. He thought I was having a **_**nightmare?**_

"**Edward," I whispered, my voice hoarse from sleepiness. Instead of telling him my dream, I decided to just **_**do it, **_**exhaustion be damned. I pushed his shoulder to the ground so that his chest was facing up, and I climbed on top of him. I wasn't waiting any longer. He looked up at me incredulously, probably shocked that I wasn't crying like I usually did. His arms came around me automatically nonetheless.**

"**Bella, are you okay?" he asked, his eyes widening as he woke up a bit more. I chuckled at him and realized that we were both still naked. This just kept getting better. If only the sun was out…**

"**Edward, why did you think I was having a nightmare?" I inquired cheekily, waiting for his response.**

"**You kept moaning my name in your sleep, and you were sweating and making really weird movements…." he trailed off, suddenly realizing what he was saying.**

"**Bella, were you having a wet dream about me?" he said, and we both laughed.**

"**Yes," I murmured as I bent to kiss him, "and I'd like to continue it, if you don't mind."**

**He was all for it, and soon I was seeking his erection like I had been in my dream. He was already as hard as a rock, and I felt bad that he had thought I didn't want him all these past few days. I wanted to make up for it all. I circled his tip around my entrance and slid down slowly. He gasped when I finally had him fully seated inside me. I slowly made the way back up, and when I came back down, Edward met me with a thrust. We began a somewhat steady rhythm, speeding up and slowing down to make it last longer. We had never done it this way, and our movements were scattered because we were so tired, but I could feel that he hit deeper now than ever before. It was complete ecstasy, especially after going so long without it.**

**He gripped my hips and moved us faster, and I knew he was close, but I was closer. My mind started to go blank as he moved two fingers to circle my bundle of nerves. I gripped onto his hair tightly and kissed him sloppily. I gasped into his mouth as I felt myself clench onto him hard, like a wrench to a perfect screw. I was in complete bliss, and my whole mind felt like it had gone to heaven. I was very acutely aware of my face on top of Edward's sweaty chest, and I slowly came back to Earth as I felt his chest rise and fall quickly in pace with my pounding heart. I brought my face up so that my chin was on top of his heart and looked at him. His green eyes were drooping, but with the moonlight, I could see that he was still looking at me, undeniably happy. I smiled at him in response and removed myself from him. I collapsed again as soon as I rolled over and fell asleep again, feeling his warm breath fan over my forehead.**

**More days passed, and we had gotten back into our routine of mostly happiness and awesome sex. No planes came by, which made us more nervous by the day, but as long as no more storms came our way again, we weren't going to complain. Things could get so much worse. We were now in the month of October, the month that ended hurricane season, which made us ecstatic, but it also wracked our nerves. We had been here nearly two months, our flight having been on August 20th****, and it seemed like a very long time.**

**We fried fish every day now that Edward had become skilled at catching them, and I had even caught a few with his guide. I felt silly remembering how I had fussed Edward the first time he'd caught one. We didn't leave the shore for days, afraid that a plane would pass without our notice, and the sun was really taking its toll on my skin. I constantly searched my body for a mole that strangely just appeared, looking for a sign of skin cancer, and always sighed in relief when I didn't find one.**

**On our fiftieth day, I swam out deep into the water bravely, wanting to see all the pretty fish that inhabited the waters. I loved to watch all their colors and how they moved so quickly to get away from me. I was up to my chin in the water when I heard Edward come in after me. I knew he would come once he saw my clothes lying on the sand. He was so predictable, and I loved playing with him. I turned my head sideways and looked back at him, trying to be sexy, something I would never have done three months ago.**

_**This island really has changed me so much, **_**I thought, **_**or maybe it's just Edward.**_

**I sank down a little and took a big gulp of water into my mouth, holding it there. When he finally reached me, I spat it all in his face childishly. His hands came up to wipe the water out of his eyes, and I laughed hysterically. He faked a mad face and told me that I was going to "get it". We swam around naked for a while before taking our little game back onto the shore. Edward chased me around, never catching me. I knew he was probably going really slow for him so he wouldn't catch me, but I appreciated it all the same. I ran into the woods, giggling and yelling at him that he was slow.**

**I really shouldn't have done it, but with all the confidence I had been building lately, I forgot just how uncoordinated I was. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, just trying to get away from Edward.**

**It was as if everything was in slow motion. I was running, my feet hitting the ground one by one as quick as I could push my legs.**

**The broken tree branch sticking from the ground taunted me, knowing how clumsy I was. My right foot caught the heavy bottom of it, and my whole body twisted as I fell to the earth. I heard the sickening crunch that was my ankle, still caught in the mangled tree branch. Cries filled the air, and Edward's stricken face popped into my blurry view. I realized the cries were my own, but I couldn't stop them. The pain gripped me like a wrecking ball, shooting through my foot and my leg.**

"**It's broken," Edward gasped out. I heard a string of curse words as he touched my ankle, and I pushed his hand away from the pain. Tears ran down my face as I tried to calm down.**

**Edward looked around for something desperately before picking me up bridal style. I complained and cried as the solidness of his arms came into contact with the searing pain.**

"**Edward," I groaned, "it hurts sooo bad."**

"**I know, baby. Just let me get you back and I'll take care of it," he said, his voice strained and full of concern. I barely felt him moving with me. A minute later, he laid me down on the sand, carefully holding up my hurt leg under the knee.**

"**I'm going to elevate it, and then I'm going to find something cool to put on it, Bella. Oh, God, it's swelling," Edward said hurriedly. I took deep breaths to keep myself from hyperventilating. He gabbed something and put my foot on top of it to keep it high. The sun beat down on me, and I felt even worse. Edward came back with my sopping shirt, and he put it on my ankle with a little pressure. It was surprisingly cool. The pain was still throbbing enough to drive me mad, but it was more bearable.**

"**I'm so sorry, baby. It doesn't look too bad, but it can get worse if it's not treated. I just wish I could find something that would substitute for a splint somewhere," Edward said. His voice seemed more calm, and I knew he had gone somewhat into doctor-mode.**

**I looked around my leg and up to his hands holding me. The giant flesh Edward held in his hands was my ankle, and I realized it had swollen to three times its size. I gasped in horror. I looked up to Edward's stricken face, and when my eyes met his, I saw panic. He and I both knew this made things ten times worse. I couldn't heal on my own, and that meant I couldn't walk. What if something really bad happened? Edward couldn't take care of me 24/7. Now I was completely useless, in pain, and thoroughly miserable.**

**Edward's eyebrows were scrunched together in deep thought and sadness. His beautiful face twisted more every second, and I hated it. Trying not to sob, I reached for his hand. He took it in both of his and leaned his head against the knee of my good leg. The bronze strands of his hair tickled my numb legs.**

**We stayed there a long time in silence before I asked Edward to move me under the shade. The sun was going down again, and I really just wanted to sleep. We could try to deal with this in the morning. Edward was the most depressed I had ever seen him, and I knew he probably blamed himself. But it wasn't his fault, as I repeated over and over again.**

**I fell asleep quickly, really exhausted from everything that had happened. The sound of the waves made me surprisingly calm, and the pain in my ankle had subsided somewhat. Edward kept the cool, wet tee shirt on it and dressed both me and him. I hoped we got out of here soon because as of now, I was better off dead. I was of no help to Edward now, just a burden. The thought made tears spring anew, and Edward wiped them away gingerly.**

"**I love you," I told him, putting as much emotion into the words as I could.**

"**I love you more," he responded, kissing my knee once more before crawling beside me. He had put my foot on top of a mound of sand to help the throbbing, but I was still very uncomfortable. I leaned into him for a kiss and got my wish quickly. When I traced his lips with my tongue, he pulled back and told me to go to sleep. He was going to treat me like a fragile doll now, and even though I really was helpless and hurting, I hated it. This was the icing on the stupid cake. I was never getting on a plane again.**

**I traced his strong jaw line tenderly and fell asleep, wishing he would do the same, but I knew he would probably be up all night to make sure I didn't turn or move in my sleep. It slightly infuriated me, but it also made me love him so much more.**

**I dreamed of Edward again, swimming in the ocean with him like we had done just about every day. Then the dream changed, and I was running through the jungle again, stupidly. I knew what was going to happen before it did.**

"**Bella!" he called, but my dream self wouldn't stop.**

"**Bella!" he called again.**

**When I fell, everything went blank for a few seconds, but then the throbbing in my ankle woke me up. Or maybe it was Edward. Or maybe it was that **_**awful **_**loud sound coming from above me. My eyes snapped open, and in the light of the dawning sun, I saw Edward's extremely happy face, smiling from ear to ear and calling my name. I slowly registered that he was pointing at the sky and laughing.**

**For a second, I thought that he had gone completely insane, but then I realized what the loud, beating sound was.**

"**Bella! Oh my God, look!" Edward sang out. I grabbed my racing heart and, forgetting about my broken ankle, rushed to get up. Edward pushed me back down into a sitting position, but I could see almost perfectly from here. My mouth was hung agape.**

**A small helicopter wasn't very far away from us in the air.**

**And it was coming for us.**

**A/N: Oh, guys. I think I'm gonna cry along with you. The drama is not over yet! Not by a long shot! I think we'll hear from Alice next chapter and then Edward. How does that sound? Or maybe Edward then Alice? Lol Whatever you guys want.**

**Anyone want to guess who their savior is going to be? I think you will all have a good laugh when you find out! And I know the Coast Guard took forever to get to them, but that will be explained next chapter.**

**Leave me love, and you will get a preview!**

**It's finally here, bbs. ;D**


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: I will never, ever leave you guys. I love fan fiction and my readers way too much to ever change that decision, no matter what gets in the way. I would never give up, and I would never abandon my story for "something better," like making money off writing somewhere else or making my own characters.

What ever happened to writing for fun and putting the readers first? I completely believe in that statement. I'm about to just stop reading altogether, in fear that ANOTHER great story will be ripped from my chance of reading it.

But yeah, I wanted everyone to know…I would never give up on Stranded or any of you. Even if I was homeless, I would still find a way to write and post and continue. You are all so great and deserve the best.

Chapter Sixteen

Edward

I couldn't sleep. It was pointless to even close my eyes and try. I felt like such a failure as I sat next to Bella's sleeping form, replaying the scene of Bella breaking her ankle in my mind. I shouldn't have even let her run in the forest. She'd told me multiple times how clumsy she was, and even though I'd taken her seriously, I never thought her lack of coordination could cause _this._

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. From what I could tell, the break wasn't terrible, but the fact still remained that Bella was now in pain, and I had nothing to fix it. I would have to wait on her hand and foot now, and even though I didn't mind, I wasn't sure if I even could. What if _another _storm passed? I couldn't just haul her to the grotto. And our measly excuse for shelter--the spot where the trees covered us from the rain--would be no means to protect us in that situation. We were really screwed now. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, they did just that.

I looked up at the sky. _Do you really hate us that much, _I thought, . _The only good thing that's come out of this horrible ordeal is the fact that I actually met her. _I looked back down at her angelic, heart-shaped face. My body was really worn out, my eyes closing of their own accord. I tried once again to sleep, but even though I was tired, my mind wouldn't stop.

Hours passed, and I still lay there next to Bella, and the sun started to make its presence known. I wondered how today would go, whether it would be twice as hard as usual, or if we would get on just fine, considering the new circumstances. I laced my hands together and put them behind my head, waiting for Bella to wake up.

Another hour passed, and the sun lightened up the sky with dawn. I guessed it to be about seven, and was just about to get up and find breakfast when I heard the most peculiar sound. It was very faint and far away, but I knew I wasn't imagining it. _Another plane? _I thought warily. If it was indeed a plane, and it passed us up, I didn't know what I would do. I would probably go crazy for good this time. I sat up and looked at the sky. The trees clouded my view, so I got up and walked onto the clear sand. I scrunched my eyes, wishing I had a pair of binoculars to see farther. I looked all around the sky, searching. The sound was stronger now, and I knew it was closer. Hope filled me instantly, especially when I could make out the small dot far away. I didn't know what it was, but it was something. I waited a few more seconds, holding my breath nervously. My heart was beating a million miles a minute, and I tried not to blink, afraid that if I would close my eyes, it would disappear.

It wasn't a bird. It wasn't a plane. It was a helicopter. The sound of the main rotor blades hitting the air loudly was like heaven to my ears. The closer the copter came to the island, the more hopeful I became. It was facing me directly, to where I could see the nose and the blades only from my distance. It wasn't only passing us, I realized--it was _coming _for us. When it was close enough that I was sure it wasn't going to just leave us, I ran back to Bella. She was still sleeping; the sound wasn't quite loud and close enough for her to be woken by it yet.

I kneeled at her side quickly, overexcited. "Bella!" I called. She didn't move, still asleep. I shook her gently and said her name again. Her eyes opened slowly, and I beamed in delight. I pointed toward the helicopter, laughing at her confused face.

"Bella! Oh my God, look!" I told her, almost shaking with all the emotions running though me. Bella grabbed her chest and tried to get up. I pushed her back down, and she stared at the helicopter in the sky as I picked her up. She made a few noncommittal noises as I carried her hurriedly though the trees.

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming, Edward," she whispered finally, still looking at the sky. I pinched her leg playfully and she yelped.

"Nope. Not dreaming," I told her happily. She smiled so wide and gripped me tightly around my neck, still not looking away from the helicopter. I set her down in the sand and stood. The copter finally reached us, the force of the blades blowing our hair and bits of sand and the trees. It was very loud, but seeing the words "Coast Guard" warmed me enough to not even notice. It lowered close to the ground, only about fifteen feet in the air before stopping. It couldn't land fully because there wasn't enough room on the sand. A rope came out of the bottom and a huge man in a red uniform came sliding down onto the ground about ten feet away from us. He was still wearing a headset from the helicopter, and when he faced us, I could see he was of Native American descent. He had very dark skin and cropped black hair, and he was so big that I was surprised he didn't weigh the whole copter down. He ran over to us, taking in the way I held Bella on the ground. He looked at our attire in confusion.

"My name is Jacob Black, and I'm a member of the United States Coast Guard. We got a call about a week ago saying there was an SOS on an uncharted island. I'm sorry it took us so long to find you, but without having coordinates of this place, it took us forever to locate it," he yelled in a deep voice, loud enough for me to hear him over the sound of the blades. I nodded and was about to tell him that we were survivors of a plane crash two months ago, but he started again.

"Can she walk? What happened?" he asked, nodding towards Bella.

"She has a broken ankle," I told him.

He nodded at me and bent down to get Bella's attention. "I'm going to get a stretcher down here so we can get you into the helicopter. Are you okay with that?" She nodded her head and smiled. He smiled back, and even though we were about to be saved, I scowled at the way he looked at her. He ran back to the rope and started talking to the people inside the copter through his headset, telling them to let down a stretcher.

Bella looked up at me, and I gave her a warming smile, gripping her hand and kissing it.

_This is really happening_, she mouthed at me. We watched as a cage was lowered down, holding a stretcher. As Jacob grabbed hold of it and got it ready, I picked Bella up and carried her closer. The pressure from the blades made Bella's hair go crazy in my face, and I was sputtering pieces out of my mouth. She laughed loudly, and I found the sound contagious. We erupted in short hysterics. At that moment, anything would have been funny because we were finally being saved. I think we just wanted a reason to laugh and act happy.

I set a still-grinning Bella onto the stretcher and Jacob shooed me away so he could strap her in. Seeing Jacob in his clean uniform with Bella right next to him in next to nothing, her only clothes filthy and torn, made me think again how hard it was going to be in the real world. Jacob Black was the first person we had seen in what felt like forever, and this moment would be forever burned in my brain. Bella's long hair fanned out against the white sheet under her. Her dirty clothes stained the whiteness with dirt and sand. The straps came over her chest, stomach, and knees, and she was instructed not to move. She looked from me to Jacob, and then to the helicopter nervously. I watched as Jacob latched her stretcher to the cage and signaled for the people above to lift them up. Bella clenched her eyes and did as she was told. I held my breath, fearing the worse--that they would drop her.

Five minutes later, she was safe inside the copter, and I was still on the ground. Jacob started to lower himself back down to come for me. I looked from under the helicopter to the rippling water that seemed to go on for ages. I looked around at the white sand and the trees, committing it to memory.

Everything that happened here, every touch, kiss, moment that Bella and I experienced here, ran though my mind. The first time we kissed, the first fire I lit for us, climbing the trees with her, catching fish, swimming naked together, making love for the first time just a few feet from where I stood now…it was all coming back to me. We would never experience any of that again. We wouldn't need each other like we did.

Then all of the bad moments replayed in my mind--Bella running from me and getting lost in the rain, Bella having nightmares, Bella calling me a pervert, Bella breaking her ankle, Bella crying because the plane left us, and finally, Bella letting go of me in the water during the storm and nearly drowning. The image of her pale face under the water, her hair flowing upward as she sank lower--my falling angel--would never be forgotten. I would give anything to never have to go through that feeling again, the feeling of complete loss and uselessness.

This island was beautiful, and we made really great memories on it. It was our destiny to find each other this way and fall in love while stranded, but it was time for us to go. We needed to make more memories elsewhere, happier memories.

I looked back at the helicopter as Jake was running toward me again. He asked me if there were any others on the island, and I told him no. He strapped me to the rope and told me to hold on. I complied, and we were both pulled to the top.

Once inside, I walked to Bella, who was still on the stretcher, ignoring everyone else. A splint had been put on her ankle for the moment until she could get medical assistance. She looked up at me and gripped my hand again. We both looked out the window at the island getting smaller as we flew away.

We were both given a headset to block out the loud sound, and I could see tears leaking from Bella's eyes. I wiped them away with my thumb. She bit her lip and said, "I'm going to miss it." I nodded my head and mouthed, _Me too._

When the island was completely out of view, I looked around at the others, who had been pretty silent so far. I realized they were probably trying to give us a few short minutes of privacy before questioning us. Three of them were Native American, just like Jacob, but I couldn't tell what the pilot looked like with his back to me.

One of the men started talking to me though the headset. His name was Sam.

"Do you mind telling me how you got on that island?" he asked.

"We survived a plane crash two months ago. We were Flight 1107 from Voyage Airlines on our way to France," I explained. Sam's eyes widened.

"Are you two the only survivors?" he asked next. I nodded.

"I don't think anyone else made it."

Sam looked to the others. "The press is going to have a field day." They nodded in agreement, and Bella and I looked at each other.

"What are your names?" Sam asked, getting my attention again.

"I'm Edward Cullen, and she's Bella Swan," I told him. He wrote down our names and asked if we were related or if we had any family members on the plane. Then he asked where we were from, and when Bella said she was from Florida, he said that we would land there so she could go to a hospital and call her family. I could call my family, too, and Sam said he would get someone to book me a plane to Chicago.

"NO!" Bella and I both shouted at the same time. Sam jumped in surprise at our outburst. "No planes, please," I amended.

"Oh, sorry," he muttered.

We spent another two hours in the helicopter before we finally saw land. Bella sighed happily when Jacob pointed down and announced we were almost in Tampa.

We landed on top of a hospital, like in the movies, and people rushed toward us to get Bella out of the helicopter. They got her out first, and she tried to remain calm, keeping her eyes on me. I held her hand until we were at the doors, and a woman tried to push me away from her. Sam explained our situation to the doctors, and I wanted to tell them that I was a doctor, and I knew that Bella wasn't in any immediate danger with only a broken ankle and being a bit under weight, but I knew that they wouldn't listen to me since I was really only an intern. The woman kept pushing me away, however, and telling me that they needed to bring Bella in separately. I wasn't happy about that.

"No, I don't want to be away from her," I said. I probably sounded really pathetic, but I didn't care. I hadn't been away from her in two months, and I didn't want to start now. I was afraid that if they took her out of my sight, I would never see her again. I knew that since I wasn't related to her or married to her, they didn't have to give me any information or let me see her. I started to panic, especially when Bella looked up at me with scared eyes. She didn't want to be away from me, either.

Sam held me back, though, stopping me from going after her. They rolled her through the doors, out of my line of vision.

I turned to Sam. "Why are they doing this? A broken ankle doesn't require all this rushing."

He shrugged. "Well, you two were on an island for a long time. They'll want to check for diseases, and we told them we were coming with two victims of a plane crash. It's understandable that they would be on high alert. Just wait till this gets around the country. I remember when they announced on the news that the plane had crashed. It was…absolutely horrible. We even went looking for the…remains, and couldn't find anything. It was like the plane just disappeared."

A man came up to me and told me to follow him. "It sank pretty fast, from what I can remember," I said. Sam grimaced.

"They're going to want the whole story," he said before I was pulled though the doors and into the hospital. I wasn't even paying attention to where I was being led to. I just kept looking for Bella, desperate to see her. People stared at me as I walked through the halls. I was still only in the ragged, dirty shorts, and my hair was still full of sand and other things. I must have really looked like a swamp monster to everyone. Plus, it was freezing in this hospital, and I hadn't known the comfort of an air conditioner in the longest time. It was so surreal, walking here with people all around me. Just this morning, Bella and I had been together, and I was worrying about how we would manage our predicament with her fractured ankle. I covered my chest as I walked, trying to ignore the stares and whispers of people who didn't know me and didn't know what Bella and I had gone through. The man leading me took me to an empty room and gave me a clean white shirt and pants. He showed me to a shower and told me to get cleaned up so they could run a few tests. Apparently I was too filthy for anything right now, or maybe I just stunk.

I did as I was told, wondering if they were asking Isabella to do the same thing at that particular moment. Turning the knob for hot water, I remembered how I had really wanted my first bath to be with Bella. I had wanted to wash her clean and have her do the same for me. Instead, I was alone in this small hospital shower. I hurried anxiously, hoping that if I was fast enough, they would let me see Bella and make sure she was okay.

When I got out, dressed and feeling clean, but still not quite satisfied since it wasn't a shared experience with my Bella, I found the same man waiting for me on the bed closest to me. I guessed he was a nurse by the way he was dressed. Or maybe he was an intern like me. It didn't really matter, but I was trying not to focus on how mad I was that they weren't letting me see my girl.

"You're going to have to fill this out for me, and if you give me a family member's name and number, I'll call for you," he said. He handed me a clipboard with papers, and I gave him Carlisle's name and number. When he left the room, I sat on the bed and started filling out the papers.

I wondered what they would tell Carlisle. Why wouldn't they let _me _call him? And what would Carlisle think? Would he think someone was playing a crude joke on him and simply hang up? I wasn't sure. My "death" may have really shaken up the family. What if he believed it? I could imagine him telling Esme, and then they would rush here to see me and take me home. I could be with my family in only a few hours, and we would hug and cry and embrace. My mom would tell me she was never letting me out of her sight again, and we would laugh and be happy.

_Bella_….I suddenly thought. I wasn't going home without her. My gut did a flip at the thought of her parents coming here. Surely, they would call her family and they would come straight away. What if they took her home, and I never got to see her again. I didn't have any way of reaching her.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. I knew her full name, and I knew her parents' names, and I even knew her address. It wouldn't be hard to find her, even if--Heaven forbid--we got separated. I took comfort in that, and tried to finish the paperwork.

When I finished, I pushed the nurse button like the man had asked me to. I found it strange that I was ordered to sit in here instead of a waiting room. Did they really think I was diseased enough to corrupt the hospital? I mean, I had been on an island, not in a brothel.

The nurse man came quickly, and he led me down a hall. Workers in scrubs stared at me again as we walked. The man told me his name was Andy, and that I needed to have a blood test and a physical.

"Do you know if I'll get to see Bella?" I asked him. He looked at me curiously. "The girl that was rescued with me," I explained.

"I don't know. I'm not sure what they're doing with her, probably running more tests than you since she broke her ankle. We haven't been able to get in touch with either of your families, but we'll keep trying. When everything with her is done, and she asks for you, I'm sure they'll let you see each other," Andy said. I nodded, and he asked for another number they might be able to reach, so I gave him Esme's cell. It was strange that Carlisle wouldn't answer his phone, but I didn't dwell on that at the moment.

I did my physical, and then Andy said he would fetch me later for my blood test. Esme hadn't answered her phone, either, so I told him to just wait, and that I would try later. Again, instead of putting me in a waiting room, he brought me to wait in that empty room again. I lost my composure and asked what the hell was going on.

He sighed. "The news is all over this already. Our phones have been ringing off the hook since word got out that survivors from the crash came to this hospital. No one can believe that you two actually lived, and the press is trying to get pictures and the story from you and Bella. The waiting room isn't safe for you right now, and we put you in here for privacy. Unless you _want _to be interrogated by them…" he added.

_Oh. _I felt like an asshole. I shook my head and apologized.

"Our security is trying to get a hold of the situation, and hopefully by the time you leave, there won't be anyone to attack you for information. There will be some officers in here later to question you about everything, though. I hope you don't mind talking to them. They just need to know the whole story."

After I agreed, Andy left me in the room and said he would be back shortly to escort me to get my blood tests. I sat down on the little white bed and wondered where in the hell Isabella was in this hospital. She was near, I could just feel it, and I wished I could run to her. We'd only been apart maybe an hour, and I was already going insane.

I walked over to the window, curious. Opening the blinds, I saw newscast vans parked in the large lot, people swarming everywhere, probably trying to get the scoop. I wondered how long it would take for the news to reach my parents. Why weren't they answering their phones, anyway? My mom _always _answered her phone, and Carlisle usually picked up unknown calls because he got so many being that he was a doctor. I closed the blinds and turned away, frustrated. What was so important that they were ignoring the most important call probably in my whole life?

Ten minutes later Andy showed up again and took me to the little office where a woman was taking blood tests. I wondered if Bella had been tested yet, and suddenly found hope that she would be in the room with me for that. I was sorely disappointed, though, when I saw the other chairs around the room empty. I groaned and sat down. I fucking hated giving blood. It was the only thing in the world that had ever managed to make me weak enough to pass out.

"Please get this over with, and don't miss the vein," I barked at the woman. She glared at me for a second before tying the band around my upper arm. I really didn't even care about being polite anymore; I just wanted to see Bella, bring her home, shave, bathe, and have sexy time. Was that too much to ask for?

Feeling sluggish, I walked _back _to the stupid room. Andy piped questions at me, but the only one I heard was whether I wanted food. I nodded vigorously at him and he assured me he would try to get me something. The man probably felt sorry for me or something for being stuck on an island. I didn't think I looked like a skinny barbarian, but that was how I was being treated.

I put my head down on the pillow of the bed. It was so soft, and memories of my own pillow came back to me. I couldn't wait to go home. And now I wouldn't feel so lonely in that huge house anymore. Bella would be with me, and we could start our lives over.

I just hoped my parents hadn't sold my house already.

Exhaustion was starting to take over, and my eyes drooped. I let sleep take me.

A female nurse came in some time later and woke me up. She gave me a plate of nasty hospital food and juice. She informed me that she was going to get the police to come in for a few minutes so I could explain what had happened. I drank the disgusting apple juice while waiting.

Ugh. Just when I think I'm finally going to get away from eating fruit nonstop, they give me fucking apple juice. I think I'd rather just starve. At least the hospital I interned at had better food.

I wondered if Bella was eating the food they were giving her. Was she thinking of how much she'd rather have fish right now? I chuckled at the thought of her thinking about me while I was thinking about nothing but her.

A knock on the door notified me that the officers were here. It was the Chief of Police of the city, and he introduced himself as Marcus Harold. He asked me what flight I had been on and what airline. I knew that he was just following protocol--everyone knew what plane had crashed and where we were headed.

When he asked how we survived, I told him how neither Bella nor I had been buckled at the time, and how when we started to go down, I grabbed her and held onto the most stable thing I could find. It was hard to remember every detail, and when I thought of how the people had screamed and shook, I shivered. The actual crash hadn't affected me much while on the island. I never really thought about how many lives were lost. Now I felt incredibly selfish for never even giving it a thought.

"I remember when we hit water, the plane started to fill up from the nose, and we were at the back of the plane, so we had a minute to figure out what to do. Well, I had a minute; Bella had passed out already. Everyone else was still buckled in, and even if they were still conscious, the water wasn't letting them unbuckle to get out. The left wing had been ripped off near us, so there was a big gap. When the water reached my feet, I swam to the gap and got out of the plane. The pressure of it sinking pulled me down, but I managed to keep upright in the water and kick up. Then I reached the surface," I said, drifting off.

"And there were no others? No one else came up after you?" he asked. I shook my head. "Tell me how you found the island."

"We drifted all that night and the whole next day. We finally spotted the land at sunset the next day and we swam to it. And the rest is history."

"Why were you going to France? Business? Pleasure?"

"My sister was getting married there, and I was on my way to the wedding," I whispered. He nodded and tucked away the little pad of paper he had been writing everything on.

"Well, Mr. Cullen, your story matches Miss Swan's account of what happened. I understand you two had never met before this ordeal?"

"No." _He had already talked to Bella?_

"You're both very lucky. From what I understand, the plane had almost two hundred passengers."

"So you've talked to Bella? How is she?" I asked. He looked at the nurse and said that he couldn't relay information about her condition to me. I rolled my eyes as he thanked me and walked out.

A few minutes later, the nurse was still in my room, seemingly debating something. She sat on the edge of my bed and I looked at her curiously. She looked back at me piteously and hesitated.

"Please don't tell anyone I told you, but I think you have a right to know this, okay?" she asked in a whisper, as if she were afraid there were cameras around. I scrunched my brows in confusion before she continued.

"That girl, Bella,…she's going to be fine. She fractured her fibula, and it's out of place, so they're going to give her surgery tomorrow. Other than that, she's just slightly underweight, as are you. I didn't catch the whole story, but I think the doctor is going to give her some iron supplements. She's sleeping right now, from what I've heard," the woman said. I sighed in relief; Bella was okay.

"What about our blood test results?" I asked.

"Those should be in by tomorrow morning. They want you to stay here until tomorrow, but I don't know when they're going to let Bella out."

"Thank you. I really appreciate you telling me this. I won't tell anyone you blabbed," I promised.

"So you haven't gotten in touch with anyone?" she asked me next. I shook my head.

"Try using my phone. I get free calls after nine at night." She handed me her cell and I freaked out at the fact that it was after nine already.

I dialed my mom's cell first, but it went straight to voicemail. Then I dialed Carlisle's and it rang, but he never picked up. I knew that they didn't even know how to check their voicemail, so I didn't bother leaving one. I called the house phone next, and after three rings, someone finally picked up.

"Hello?" the sweet voice of my parent's live-in-maid said.

"Mrs. Cope! Are my parents around? I've been calling their cells, but no one's answering!" I said frantically.

"Emmett? Are you sleep calling again? Are you intoxicated? Sweetie, this behavior needs to stop," she said firmly. _What the hell?_ I thought. Mrs. Cope knew my voice; she'd been like my grandmother for the last seven years.

Oh. Until I died.

"No, Mrs. Cope! It's me, Edward! Remember that plane crash? I'm not dead! I lived, and now I'm back. I'm at a hospital in Florida, and I really need to talk to my parents!" I practically yelled. It was quiet for nearly a whole minute before she spoke again.

"Emmett, really…this is not funny," she said sternly.

"No! It's me, I swear, Mrs. Cope! Ask me anything and I'll prove it to you! My first car, my favorite shirt that you accidentally turned pink and told me not to tell anyone…it's me, Edward! C'mon, you know my voice!"

"Edward?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes! It's me, I promise, I promise!"

"Where are you again?" she asked.

"I'm at a hospital in Tampa Bay. I've been on an island the last two months, and I was saved this morning. I need to talk to Mom and Dad." I was so happy that she was finally believing me.

"You're alive! Oh, Edward!" Then she was silent for a few seconds. "Oh, no, Honey. Everyone's in France again. Alice rescheduled her wedding, and it's in three days!"

My heart dropped then. No one was even in the states to know what had happened. They weren't answering their phones because they were probably too busy getting everything in order for the wedding.

"Edward? Edward?" Mrs. Cope called, getting my attention.

"Yes, Mrs. Cope, I'm still here," I said flatly.

"Tell me exactly where you are, and I'll get take the first plane to get you. Are you hurt, dear? Are you going to be okay? You sound fine, but I can't be sure," she said.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I let out a breath and gave her directions to the hospital. She told me she would be there early the next day, and we hung up.

I decided I would try one more time with my parent's phones. It was pointless again, so I tried Emmett's

After two rings, I heard the phone click, and Rose's voice flooded my ear.

"Hello?" _Finally, I might be getting somewhere._

"Rose, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I need you to listen before you hang up, okay?" I pleaded.

"Who is this?" she asked angrily. Why couldn't Emmett have picked up instead?

"It's Edward, listen--"

"Edward?" she cut me off.

"Yes--"

She cut me off again. "Look, I don't know what kind of sick fuck you think you are, but this isn't funny. My husband is still fucked up over what happened, and you think you can prank call him about it? Fuck you!" And she hung up.

I sighed and gave the nurse back her phone.

"Sorry," she said. She left and I was alone in the room for the rest of the night, aggravated and pissed off.

(three days later)

Alice

I stared at my reflection in the floor to ceiling length mirror, ignoring the constant chatter of my bridesmaids. My dress was a Vera Wang, the most beautiful one I had seen almost a year ago now. The beading was very intricate, making subtle patterns from the top to the waistline, where it bunched up into many pearls. It was very poofy, not something I would normally pick because of my height, but when I put it on for the first time, I just _knew._

I looked up to my face, which seemed to have bloomed worry lines over the last two months alone. This was supposed to be a happy day, the happiest day of my life. I was getting married to the man I loved more than anything in the entire world.

The green eyes in the mirror matched the ones of my brother. The brother that was supposed to be here.

"What's wrong, honey?" my mom asked, laying a hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me. No bride was supposed to be frowning like this.

"Edward," I explained, fighting the tears back. "I wish he was here."

My mom hugged me tightly, trying to keep her chest away from mine in fear of damaging the dress. "Me, too, Sweetheart. But even though he's not here doesn't mean he's not going to see his baby sister get married." She kissed my cheek and pulled away.

"And no one's going to eat the fancy shrimp poppers that will be served. I got them especially for Edward because he's the only one who actually likes them," I said sadly.

Mom laughed. "I bet he's eating as many shrimp poppers as he likes right now." She laughed at loud at a memory. "I remember when he first started at the hospital--he wanted me to pack him a lunch and send it with your father every day just so he wouldn't have to eat the hospital's food. His first day, I sent him some of that, and he called me during his break to thank me and asked if we had any more at the house." She laughed some more and wiped a tear from her eyes.

"Your brother is probably scowling at us right now for teasing him," she continued.

"Yeah," I agreed. I would give anything to see that grumpy-but-humorous face of his again.

"Remember when I told him I was getting married?" I asked her.

She chuckled. "Oh, yes. He threw a fit, especially when I asked him when he was going to get married." She sighed, reminiscing. "I would have loved to see that crazy hair of his on a grandchild." She shook her head, fighting tears. "You know, the first day I went grocery shopping after his…death…I went straight to the aisle with Vienna sausage because it was something I bought for him every time. He always did like the weirdest foods, your brother. Anyway, I picked up a can and was about to put it in the buggy, and I stopped and remembered that I didn't need to buy it anymore. I started sobbing when I set the can back down on the shelf, and your father and I just starved for the next week because I couldn't bear to go out again."

I was taken aback at my mother's admission. She looked at me sadly, but placed a smile on her face. "And then I realized something very important. Edward would not want me and your father to suffer because of what happened. We mourn him, yes, but he would not want us to be miserable. And he wouldn't want you to be crying on your wedding day. I'm sure that wherever he is, he wishes he could be here. And I bet he would do anything possible to see his sister get married," she finished. I smiled at her, realizing she was right.

"Ladies, line up!" someone called from the door to the dressing room. It was time to go down the aisle. It was time to start our future.

A/N: Lots of readers have been asking if I plan to continue after the rescue. The answer is: YES. I plan to write many more chapters in which Alice gets her brother back, Bella and Edward are reunited, and everyone gets their happy ending.

Please review, you know that if you review, you'll get a preview!

Also, I'm not 100% sure this was completely accurate. This was how I envisioned a rescue from an island. I do come from New Orleans, and even though I was away for Katrina, I heard many rescue stories, and this one was much like them, only people during Katrina were saved from the tops of their houses and not an island. I also don't work in a hospital, so I don't know all the regulations and protocol. I did lots of research, and this was the best I could do :D

AGAIN, PLEASE REVIEW!!


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Sorry this took a long time. Chapters will come quicker starting in June.

Here's the chapter ;D

Chapter Seventeen

Edward

I got about four hours of sleep in my little room of insanity. The nurse strolled in every few hours to check on me, and every time I would ask her about Bella, but it was useless. She knew nothing today.

At eight in the morning, she brought her cell phone to me and told me Mrs. Cope had called at the hospital. I called her back quickly, hoping she had some information, or at least she had gotten in touch with my family.

Answering on the second ring, she said, "Edward?"

"Yeah, it's me. Did you get a flight?" I asked. There was noise in the background coming from her end of the line.

"I did. I just arrived in Jefferson, so I should be with you shortly."

"Good." I didn't really know what else to say. I wanted to have conversation face to face.

"Are you really okay, Edward? I turned on the news while I was getting everything ready, and it was all about you and a girl. You both survived?"

"Yes. And we'd been on that island ever since."

"Is the girl okay?"

_I don't know at the moment because these bastards won't let me see her._

"She broke her ankle just before we were saved. I haven't seen her since we got to the hospital," I finished, resisting the urge to glare at the nurse. I knew it wasn't her fault, but this was absolute bullshit. I wanted my girl, and I wanted her _now. _Every second apart from her made me more and more frazzled, and I was going to blow up by the end of the day. I felt like I could even feel her somewhere in the hospital, like she was drawing me to her. I was the south to her north, and these selfish idiots couldn't be decent enough to ignore one policy.

I heard Mrs. Cope gasp from the ear piece. "I hope she's alright. Is that how you two have managed for two months? You took care of each other?"

"Mrs. Cope, I really don't want to discuss this over the phone. Can we just talk when you get here?" I asked impatiently. She agreed, and I hung up, still not feeling any better, but glad that _someone _I knew was aware that I was still kicking.

An hour later, I still had no news on Bella, and the nurse showed Mrs. Cope to my room. When she saw me, the biggest smile stretched her wrinkled face, and she walked slowly to me as if she were afraid I would disappear. She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at me silently. I smiled back at her.

"It's really me," I said, shrugging. She started to cry and wrapped her arms around me.

"Your momma is gonna be so happy," she said in her southern voice. "It hasn't been the same since…well, you know."

I nodded. "How bad was it?" Part of me didn't want to know, but another part just wanted to hear about my family. Not letting go of me, she backed away and took my hands.

"It was horrible, Edward. They were in France when they heard, and they called me from the hotel. You know I never watch the news, so that was when I found out." She still looked at me in disbelief. "I just can't believe you're alive. I'm so glad that you are, but I don't know…_how. _I mean, there was a funeral and everything. We all thought you were _gone._"

"They still think I'm gone!" I said, exasperated. "You and probably all the world knows I'm alive right now, but they won't answer their damn phones! And they can't blame it on not having service! Rosa-fucking-lie answered when I called, and the idiot hung up on me!"

"She hung up on you?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah, she thought it was a prank call," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Let me call her," Mrs. Cope said, pulling out her cell phone. I sat there, full of hope for a whole minute before she said that the call went straight to voicemail. "I tried calling the others earlier, but you're right--no one is answering."

I looked around at the white walls that had driven me insane all night and morning, thinking.

"You said Alice's wedding is in three days, right?" I asked.

"Two now, actually," she told me.

"So she rescheduled the wedding? After she found out?"

"Yes. And I think she was hoping that planning for a another wedding might take her mind off what happened for a bit, even though it didn't work. They all took it hard. I'd never seen your father cry in all my years living with the Cullens."

I sighed. I really wanted to be at that wedding. All this time I had thought she got married without me there, and now I had a chance to see my baby sister tie the knot. And I was going to take that chance.

"I want to go to Alice's wedding," I told her, debating. She nodded, as if she knew beforehand that I would choose that.

"I packed us some bags, just in case. When's the soonest you can get signed out of here?" she asked.

I thought about it for a minute. Could I really do this? Leave Bella here and go to France? The separation would surely kill me, but what was it doing to Alice right this moment? I'd been with Bella every single moment of every day. I hadn't seen my family in over two months. My sister would never get married again, and I would have to live with that if I stayed here. Bella loved me; she would understand. I ran a hand through my hair.

"I can leave now…sign myself out," I replied. Mrs. Cope seemed to question it for a second.

"Are you sure you're okay, Edward? I don't want to leave this hospital without knowing there will be consequences for your health."

"I'm sure," I said, my voice flat. I tried to gain excitement at the thought of seeing Alice walk down the aisle, but with the expense of leaving Bella, I just couldn't be happy at the moment. Mrs. Cope left to get my suitcase from the rental car, whining that I had to shave my beard before I went anywhere.

Maybe they would let me see her just one time. I just wanted to tell her where I was going and promise her that I would be back as soon as possible. I definitely didn't want to just leave without her knowing where I was.

I was thinking of ways to get the staff to let me see her before I left when Mrs. Cope walked back into the room with a suitcase.

"We'll have to book a flight now if we want to make it in time for the wedding," Mrs. Cope said, digging through the suitcase frantically.

I groaned internally. "Can't we just take a boat instead? No offense, Mrs. Cope, but I am really against the idea of being stranded on an island with you."

She glared at me playfully and threw a shirt, pants, and razor into my chest.

"A boat wouldn't be fast enough, you silly boy. Don't you want to see Alice's wedding?" she asked.

"Of course I do. I just…really don't want to get on another plane. Ever."

Mrs. Cope sighed and looked out the window at the continuous chaos taking place in the parking lot. "I can get a private plane, if you'd like. I think that would be less likely to crash, but it would cost a fortune." She looked at her cell phone again for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. "I just don't understand why your father won't answer his goddamn phone. He gave me this stupid cell phone so I could call him for emergencies, and now I actually have an emergency, and HE WON'T ANSWER!" She screeched in frustration, and I cowered back. The woman could be scary when she wanted to.

"A private plane sounds better," I conceded, trying to change the subject and get her to calm down. "But…I really need to do something before we leave."

"What's that?" she asked curiously. I waited for a few moments, contemplating how to tell her I had fallen in love.

"I really need to see my girl before we go." The look on her face was priceless. It was total confusion and annoyance wrapped into one.

"Girl? What girl? What are you talking about? Did you meet someone before you left or something? Cause I didn't get any calls from women asking what happened to you," she said.

I inhaled deeply, counting to five. I'd never said these words in my entire life, and I knew I would probably sound extremely crazy saying them now.

"I met someone, yes." My answer was lame, but I still wasn't prepared to talk about Bella to anyone. I'd thought about introducing her to my family, but never _like this._ I figured if I ever got off the island, she would be with me the entire time and I would know how to go from there. But she was in a room somewhere in this hospital, breathing the same air as me but still out of my freaking sight.

Mrs. Cope raised her eyebrows to get me to continue, and I tried again. "The girl from the plane. The one I was stranded with. I'm in love with her, Mrs. Cope. And the goddamn doctors separated us. I haven't seen her since we landed." I looked at my feet the moment I saw her jaw drop.

"I can't believe this," she whispered. I looked up at her and saw a small smile on her face. She was happy for me. She was silent for a few moments before speaking again.

"Do you think they'll let you see her? We really need to leave soon, Edward."

"Honestly, no, I doubt they'll let me see her. I've been asking almost every hour, and the answer's been no every time. She's supposed to have surgery today on her ankle." I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the wall.

"Well, I guess it can't hurt to try again," I said, getting up from the bed. I wobbled a bit when my feet took on my weight, and figured it was from avoiding the nasty food. Mrs. Cope gave me a worried look, but said nothing. I walked to the bathroom to change and shave, and when I came out I felt a bit lighter--at least, my face did.

"Oh, now I see you," Mrs. Cope said, rubbing my now bare chin, "you look like my Edward again."

I touched my face, ignoring the pang in my heart. I wanted to do this with Bella. I wanted her to be the first person to see me without the horrible beard she had gotten used to. I squirmed around a bit; I'd forgotten what it felt like to wear underwear.

"How about you get yourself signed out while I use the bathroom real quick? Let's meet next to the doors, okay? I'm not letting you battle the crowd outside by yourself," Mrs. Cope said. I agreed and walked out of my room for the first time in hours. I started walking to the desk to ask if I could see Bella just once before I left when a light bulb went off in my head.

They weren't going to let me see her, and I had to face that fact. But so what? She was in this hospital somewhere, and was I just going to take orders from people I would never see again anyway? Hell to the fuck no!

I looked around the hall. No one had noticed me yet because of my new street clothes. Nurses and other workers in uniforms passed me without a second glance. I smiled on the inside--this might be easier than I thought.

_I'll just check this floor, _I dealt with myself, _and if she's not in any of these rooms, I'll just ask to see her even though asking is pointless._

I started with the first door on the left. I stole flowers from a nearby vase and pretended to be just a concerned visitor. Good thing it was visiting hours, otherwise I'd be screwed.

The first room turned out to be occupied by an old man sitting up in bed and flipping through channels on the high raised television. He looked up when he heard the door open. I waved the flowers lamely.

"Sorry, wrong room." He nodded, bored, and I closed the door again, feeling slightly embarrassed. The emotion wasn't strong enough to deter me, though, so I continued. _Sorry, wrong room. Sorry, wrong room. _I was starting to sound like a broken record. The next few doors had been the same--two women, a teenager, and a guy missing an arm. No Bella.

I was on my tenth door when someone actually caught me.

"Hey, aren't you that stranded kid? Shouldn't you be in your room?" I turned away from door number ten quickly, hiding the flowers behind my back.

Argh! I looked back at the door. _What if this is the door? What if Bella's just behind this giant rectangle of wood? _I thought, going into a frenzy. I glared at the man in front of me. "No. I was just leaving."

"Good," he started, "I'll escort you back to your room."

_What do I look like, a child?_ I thought, fuming. "No," I stated firmly, "I'm leaving, like signing myself out leaving." He gaped at me, and I walked past him without another word.

I walked straight to the desk and the woman sitting must have seen my expression because she attended to me right away, asking if she could help me.

"Well, I fucking hope so because it doesn't seem like anyone else around here wants to. That island's looking pretty damn good right now compared to this place. At least I got stuff done right," I said angrily. She looked frightened immediately, and I felt guilty. Taking a deep breath, I started over. "Look, I just want to leave. Just let me sign myself out and send my blood test results to my parents' address in Chicago."

She looked like she was going to argue at first. "My sister's getting married in less that forty-eight hours. So I _need _to leave…now." She nodded and started conversing with a woman next to her. They handed me papers to sign, signifying that I knew I was leaving against doctor's orders and that I wouldn't hold the hospital responsible if something should happen to me. I could hear whispering from a distance away; one woman was saying I was crazy for wanting to leave and that the island must have screwed me in the head, while the other woman said something along the lines of, "it doesn't matter to me if he's insane, I'd still hit that." I chuckled lowly and decided to give one more try.

"Would it be possible for me to see Bella before I go? I just want to see her. Please?" I asked to no one in particular, laying on the charm real thick. The women who'd been gossiping started again.

"I heard that those two had a thing on the island."

"Ah! No way!"

"Yes way! Girl, that's gonna be all over the news like when Angelina kissed her damn brother."

"Well, shit, wish I'd been on that plane. Island sex with _that?_ Hooo, Lord have mercy! Broken ankle or not, that bitch is luuuucky!"

"Shut up! He'll hear you!"

I pursed my lips to keep from laughing. The receptionist right in front of me talked to another woman and they both shrugged, looking back at me.

"We asked Ms. Swan last night if you could visit her even though you're not a relative, and she said yes, but just a few minutes ago she was sleeping. We'll let you see her, but you can't wake her up, okay?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

My heart fluttered. She was asleep, but at least I would still get to see her. I agreed to not wake her, and the woman told me which room. I had to take an elevator one floor up, and soon I was opening the door to where she was staying.

She was lying in the white hospital bed, slumbering away. The moment I laid eyes on her, I instantly calmed down. All the stress from being away from her and from everyone getting on my nerves had taken a toll on me. It had honestly been so much easier when it was just her and me on the island. Now we had to put up with rules and other people's bad attitudes. The only materialistic things I really missed was good food and air conditioning. Maybe when I got back from France, we could immediately move in together and grab some Big Macs to celebrate.

She was pretty pale, but not enough to where it worried me. I could tell she had showered also, and her hair was much cleaner than when I last saw it, spread out across the pillow. I put the stolen flowers down on the end table and sat in the chair next to her. Part of me wanted to wake her, but I knew I just couldn't. Simply seeing her was enough; we had our whole lives ahead of us to enjoy now. I took her hand; it was neither cold nor warm. I wished she would talk in her sleep so I could hear her voice before I left.

I stared at the beautiful face before me, willing her to awaken on her own. She didn't though, so I just continued admiring her. I traced the apple of her cheek lightly, then the silky skin of her eyelids, and finally her full, luscious lips. I caught sight of the clock on the wall and saw that I had been making Mrs. Cope wait almost thirty minutes. I would have to go now. I kissed the string ring that she'd promised to keep on her finger, and then I kissed her lips chastely before standing up.

"I love you," I whispered to her sleeping form, praying that her surgery would go well. Tearing myself away was the hardest thing I'd ever done in my entire life, and I had to keep telling myself that I would see her soon. I would come back right after the wedding, I vowed. Then we would make plans as to where we would live and other things like that.

The _click _of the door sounded louder than it probably should have, and I walked away quickly before I could run back to her.

_Alice is getting married. Alice is getting married._ I chanted this in my head as I took the elevator down again.

I told the lady at the front desk to tell Bella where I'd gone and that I promised to be back as soon as possible. She informed me that there was still a mass of reporters outside the hospital, and she got security to meet me at the exit. Mrs. Cope was standing there unhappily when I reached the sliding doors.

"I have been waiting for you for ages!" she said.

"I'm sorry. I had to see Bella," I explained, hoping she'd understand.

"You got to see her?" she asked.

"Yeah, but she was sleeping."

The security guards were going to escort us out of the hospital to make sure we could leave without being harassed. Mrs. Cope had called the local private air base and hired someone to fly us. I was surprised how easy it had been until she told me the price.

There was a taxi waiting outside, but I could barely see it with all the people in the parking lot. Vans with satellite dishes on the roofs decorated the crowd. It was all so strange to me. Had they even left since yesterday?

Five burly men walked around Mrs. Cope and me through the automatic sliding doors. Two in back of us put hands on our shoulders to guide us since we couldn't even see over the men in front of us. Automatically, when we hit the humid air outside, the reporters came swarming, shoving microphones between the men's bodies.

"Step back," one of the men ordered, but only two of them actually listened; the rest ran to keep up with us.

_This is crazy!_ I thought. I felt very much like a celebrity, but not at all in a good way. How did famous people deal with this all the time? I was already aggravated, and I hadn't even been chased for a whole minute yet.

"Edward Cullen! What was your experience on the island like?"

"Mr. Cullen, how would you describe the plane crash? How did you survive?"

Did they really think I was going to answer any of that? The security pushed some of the people out of the way, but it didn't deter them one bit. Microphones were still being rushed to my face in any way possible. One guy was even trying to hop over the men's heads to get a glimpse of me. I could see three cameramen following, trying to keep up with their cameras focused on the scene.

"No comment."

"Edward, can you tell us about your relationship with Isabella Swan?" This question seemed to rile up the others even more.

"Why did you save her, Edward? How did she break her ankle?"

"What are your plans now that you're leaving the hospital?"

The chaos seemed to continue on forever, even though it was only about two minutes. When we finally reached the taxi, the security crowded around the door. I helped Mrs. Cope into the backseat and followed behind her, thanking the men who had helped us and wishing they could continue to stop the madness once we were gone.

"Leave me alone!" I said quickly to another reporter who was practically trying to crawl through one of the men's legs. I shut the door, and the taxi driver sped off, taking orders from Mrs. Cope.

The driver was an old man, one who didn't seem to care about everything going on. It didn't bother him much until he looked into his rearview mirror.

"Well, I'll be. Them bastards are following us!" he said.

I turned my head to see and sure enough, the media had jumped into their vans and were currently trying to catch up with us.

"This is crazy!" Mrs. Cope voiced my thoughts from earlier. "I mean, when I walked into the hospital, it was bad, but I wasn't expecting _this."_

"You guys are on the radio, too," the driver said, "They say something about every twenty minutes or so. That's how I found out what happened. Congrats on being alive, man." He waved at me, and I smiled, not really knowing what to say to that.

He turned on the radio to prove his point, and a man and woman were talking about Bella and me.

"_I would really like to know how the hell they survived anyway. Do you know if we're going to learn that full story anytime soon, Bob?"_

"_Well, Sally, I hear talk that Ofera wants them on her show. Maybe they'll say yes to that, and then we can all see for ourselves."_

"_Isn't that just amazing? Such a tragedy strikes--that plane had almost two hundred people, right?"_

"_Yep, big load on the way to France."_

"_Yes, back to what I was saying--such a tragedy strikes two hundred people, and out of that two hundred, only two of them got lucky. Just amazing. Simply amazing. And to find land?"_

"_Oh, yes. But they were saying yesterday that the boy admitted he really had to fight to get out of that plane. So it wasn't just luck, Sally."_

"_And to be on a deserted island for two months! Imagine how hard that must have been!"_

"_Sources say that they believe there was an affair between the two survivors. We'll have more on that after our commercial break. You're listening to Seventy-Eight point Nine WYRK. Don't touch that dial!"_

"Damn," was all Mrs. Cope could say. I was speechless. If this was on the radio, what was on television? I put my elbows on my knees and cupped my face in my hands. If my family hadn't seen that shit, then they must be hermit crabs in human bodies.

I took a deep breath and tried to clear my head. I refused to look back and see the vans following us, and I made the driver keep the radio off. I couldn't take any more for now.

Our driver took a few shortcuts and got mixed with a bunch of other taxis, and we eventually lost the stalkers. It seemed the farther away I was from Bella, the more my heart hurt. When I got back, we were never getting separated again. Ever.

Climbing aboard the private plane was very scary for me. The last time I'd done it, I almost died, so I was extremely hesitant. Our pilot kept assuring us that we'd be safe, but he kept stuttering his nervousness around me. He must have known who I was by then and how much I really didn't want to be there. Still, I faced my fears and prayed to God I could survive this one, too.

Mrs. Cope could see how tense I was and tried to calm me before we took off.

"C'mon, Edward, I know it's hard. But please be happy. Your sister's getting married!"

I thought of Alice's face, always smiling and energetic. Then I thought of Bella's face the last time I'd seen her with her hair spread out on the pillow and her little nostrils flaring slightly when she breathed.

I knew this was completely worth it for the sake of my sister, but I couldn't help but miss her.

A/N: I renamed Oprah to Ofera, lol. I didn't want to get in trouble :D

I know I promised the Alice reunion this chapter, but there was so much in this one, I had to move it to the next chapter. I promise next chapter Alice will see Edward for the first time! Get your tissues ready for that!

IMPORTANT: This story can go two ways now, and I will let you guys chose. Tell me in a review whether you want Bella to be pregnant. There will be a happy ending either way, of course. But I need to know before the next chapter what you guys want. Lots of reviewers mentioned in earlier chapters that it would be a cute idea, and I agree mostly because I think it would be hilarious for Edward to have a child before the rest of his siblings since his mom thought he was gay and thought he was never going to find a girlfriend, etc. But then there's also the issue that they're going through so much right now and a kid isn't exactly going to help. IDK, I just love the idea of an island made baby. So adorable. Like Breaking Dawn, most people didn't like that they had Renesmee, but I thought it was genius. To me, it made Edward and Bella more special than the rest and she still got to keep that part of her humanity…and Renesmee was island-made, too. Too cute. Until Jacob came along, that is…

Okay, done babbling…PLEASE REVIEW!


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Hey guys. I was in Boston for a week, no computer. Then, when I got home, no internet. *Sigh* I got on a plane for the first time and kept thinking of my story. It was definitely nothing like I expected, and I was pretty paranoid the whole time, so I can just imagine how Edward feels getting on another plane. Get your tissues ready for this chapter. The Cullens see Edward again.

Chapter Eighteen

Edward

I gripped the hand rest tight, feeling my heart speed up once again. The plane had been shaking slightly every few minutes, reminding me of the crash. It scared the shit out of me, and I wished someone had a sleeping pill to give me. Mrs. Cope had no trouble, however; she'd fallen asleep right away on my shoulder, drooling away.

The plane jerked to the right, hard, and I yelped loudly, grabbing my overexerted heart. Mrs. Cope finally woke up with my jump and looked up at me, confused.

"Something wrong?" she asked, taking in my terrified form. The flight attendant stared at me like I had shit on my head.

I rubbed my chest, trying to make my heart slow down so it would jump out of my body. I took a deep, shaky breath and shook my head. "No, just freaking out again."

She rubbed her sleepy eyes and patted my arm. "How much longer?"

"About thirty minutes ago they announced it would be one more hour, so about a half hour, I think. Wish it was sooner. I don't think my nerves can take much more of this."

It was nearing midnight by the time we reached France. Mrs. Cope was falling asleep again, and I was exhausted after ten hours on a plane. A local airport two hours away from Paris had given us permission to land there, and Mrs. Cope handed me a passport when we walked off. It had my name and picture and all my information.

"How the hell did you manage to get this?" I asked, confused. My original passport had gone down with Flight 1107.

"Don't ask. Just thank your father's large bank account." She talked to a woman at the entrance, making sure we wouldn't be harassed and chased with cameras at the airport. The woman led us through the sliding doors, and I noticed the wall televisions all turned on the news. My face was on the TV, as well as Mrs. Cope's, from when we'd walked out of the hospital. It was very strange to see myself on every television in sight. I hadn't really looked in a mirror in so long, but seeing myself on the big screens, I realized how different I looked. It wasn't a drastic change, but I still saw every adjustment. My face was thinner, a bit sunken in. My beard was gone, so I could see how much more my jaw line stuck out. My hair was longer, making it twice as messy.

I looked…older.

A few people stared at us as we strode by, but luckily, no one dared to take a picture or follow. We climbed onto a bus after retrieving what little luggage we had.

I looked to Mrs. Cope and cocked an eyebrow, silently asking what she planned to do next.

"Let's just get a hotel for the night," she said, yawning. "I'm sure Paris will still be there in the morning, and I doubt anyone is awake anyway."

I smiled at that. Alice was most certainly awake, probably obsessing over something for her wedding. In a few hours, she would be a lawfully wedded woman, and I was sure just that fact was freaking her out right about now. Jasper was probably sleeping like a baby, not at all worried about any of it. I chuckled, my sleepy imagination running away with me.

We grabbed a room at the closest hotel we could and Mrs. Cope passed out quickly. I, however, sat down on the windowsill and stared out at the stars. I wondered what time it was back in Florida and whether my Bella was looking at the same sky I was looking at. Had she woken shortly after I left, immediately asking for me? Was she terribly angry with me? I hoped not, but I completely understood if she felt that way.

I wished ten o'clock would come more quickly so that I could hurry up and see my family, and then rush back to the States. I cringed slightly-that meant another plane ride.

I was very, very tired, but I couldn't stop my mind from wandering. I leaned my forehead against the cool glass of the window and sighed. The more I looked up at the stars, I could make out a perfect constellation of two beautiful, wide set, doe-shaped eyes.

I missed my girl, and I wished I had never left. Someone was definitely going to tape the wedding, and I could have just seen it in the future. I could have kept trying to call my family instead of flying all the way over here. I should have woken Bella up and held her close to me, assuring my love for her and promising that we would finally move forward after all the fuss was over.

At the very least, I should have left her a note. Oh, God, I felt like such an _idiot._ I gripped my hair, furious with myself for not having thought about that. I rolled my eyes at my stupidity and got into bed. I tossed and turned for a while, unable to quit badgering myself.

I sort of felt bad for not wanting to be here; I hadn't seen my family in two months, and still I wanted to jump on the next plane back to Florida with no concern of how they'd feel about it. And then I felt bad about feeling bad, because if I would miss the wedding and rejoin Bella, she would be disappointed that I put her before my family. Or would she be completely happy if I ignored them for her? That didn't sound like her, though. I tried to push these thoughts away; I was here now, and that was all that mattered until I could get back to the USA. I would go to the wedding and have a happy reunion with my family and then go home and have a happy reunion with Bella.

I did successfully stop thinking about everything that was going on, but every time I closed my eyelids, I saw her. Bella, running in the sand. Bella, swimming naked with bubbles coating her skin, her gorgeous legs moving surprisingly graceful as she circled me. Bella, moaning my name loudly, her breasts bouncing below me in sync with my thrusts.

_I'm going to miss that island._ The thought ran through my mind before I could stop it. It seemed like one of those "be careful what you wish for" moments. For so long, Bella and I wanted to get off that island, but now I wished we had a little more time there. That is, if Bella hadn't broken her ankle.

At first, when we found the little spit of land, we thought it was going to be hard. Impossible to survive. And it was…difficult. But if there was anything I had learned on that island, it was this: a human can adapt to anything. But it wasn't just adapting. We had thrived there. If it wasn't for our families and the possibility of getting hurt without medical help, I would grab Bella and return in a heartbeat.

I knew I sounded like a girl, but the island had been magical. It was a lot better than the place I was now, for sure. It was a hell of a lot easier, too. I sounded like a caveman, wanting to take Bella and hide her from the world, keep her all to myself where the world was simple and the only thing we really worried about was the storms.

I stared at the ceiling, the paint peeling away in several places.

I think I fell asleep a while later, but there was no telling with the digital clock in military time. I was too lazy to translate it to regular time.

"Edward! Wake up!" I felt something soft hit my shoulder hard, and my eyes flew open.

"What the fuck?" I mumbled sleepily. I blinked sleep from my eyes and tried to focus on the stocky form in front of me.

"Edward! I slept late! It's already eight thirty!" Mrs. Cope shouted. I jumped from the bed and looked at her.

"We'll never make it in time now!" she said.

"Yes we will!" I ran to the bathroom, grabbing the first shirt and jeans I could find. I dressed quickly, skipping the shower. Mrs. Cope and I brushed our teeth at the same time, fighting over the one sink.

_Mmm, toothpaste._

We ran out of the hotel room and onto the street. I got us a taxi while pulling on my shoe.

We jumped into the yellow car and when the man asked me where to go, I said, "The…Basilique du…," I tried to think of the damn name, "Sacre-Coeur!"

Mrs. Cope slammed the door, and I instantly panicked. We didn't have any French money. The taxi driver groaned.

"Is too far! You take bus!" he yelled at me angrily. Mrs. Cope threw some foreign bills onto the front seat with the man, and he grabbed them, shutting up quick.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked.

"I had them from the last time we came here," she explained.

I looked down at my lap dumbly. If I didn't have Ms. Cope, I would be pretty screwed right now. I felt like an irresponsible child, unable to help with anything.

The first hour of the ride was silent. The driver put the radio on some French station, and I even recognized some of the songs from when my old high school teacher would make us sing along. I stared out the window at the beautiful scenery, trying to ignore the emptiness in my chest. I hadn't eaten in so long, and I could feel it getting to me, but I knew if someone shoved a five dollar foot long in my face, I wouldn't even be able to take one bite. Did every man feel this when he was separated from the one he loved? I couldn't even imagine how much worse it would be if we broke up. I would either starve to death or go crazy.

Those thoughts brought out another fear.

_Oh, God, what if she doesn't want me when I get back? What if she's so angry with me for leaving that she leaves herself? _Now I was just being irrational again; Bella couldn't leave because she had surgery the day before. But there was still the nagging thought of her not wanting me when I returned.

_Yeah, you should have woken her up before you left, doofus. Smart move, you idiot._

And now I was even talking to myself in my mind. I would not be right again until I was with her. All my time spent with her on the island had made me dependent…and pathetic. Not so much dependent on her helping me, no-that wasn't it. I was dependent on her company and her love. Going so long having and wanting _just her, _she felt like a drug to me.

And now I was having withdrawals.

A while later I looked at the clock, and it read 10:00, which was the time when the wedding started.

"Could you drive faster, please?" I asked the driver, my impatient tone mismatching my words.

"We get there at ten thirty," he responded, glaring at me in the rearview mirror.

_I'm going to miss Alice walking down the aisle._

Mrs. Cope patted my hand, probably thinking the same as me.

Finally, thirty minutes later, we pulled into a parking lot near the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur. It was paper-white, and beautiful. I had to crane my neck just to see the top of it.

"C'mon!" I said to Mrs. Cope. I wanted to run, but I couldn't leave the poor old lady on her own. We walked quickly to the side doors of the church and saw many tourists visiting the bottom floor. I guessed the wedding would be held on the second floor, so I took Mrs. Cope's hand and led her to the nearest staircase, ignoring the CLOSED sign. I ran up the first staircase, quickly trying to find the next one. I had no idea where I was, but I could faintly hear a pipe organ playing music. I could feel myself getting closer, and just the thought of my family being in the same building as me gave me goosebumps.

Then I ran into a security guard. At first, he was kind to me, talking quickly in French, probably telling me I wasn't allowed here. Or maybe he was asking if I was the long lost brother of the bride? Yeah, right. If only my life was so lucky. He was the only one, though, and he was short and stocky. When I made sure there was no gun on him, I ran past him. He called after me angrily, chasing me, but I knew there was no way he'd catch me.

"Non! Vous ne pouvez aller là! Arrêtez! C'est uniquement pour les personnes avant une invitation!"

"Edward! You're going to get us in trouble!" I heard Mrs. Cope shout.

I ignored both of them and ran up another staircase, still not having a clue as to where I was going. The stairs took me up into a room that resembled an attic, with old wooden chairs and spider webs everywhere. I was about to turn around and go back when I saw a screen to my far right.

Looking closer, I saw that it was not a screen, but a large window. I walked over to it and looked out, but instead of seeing outside the church, I was looking into the hall. There were chandeliers hanging in the large room right across from where I stood, huge white ribbons coating the pillars. The big painting of Jesus and some angels was lit up, and I looked down.

There was Alice. And Jasper. And a priest. My sister and her fiance were kneeling, doing whatever they do at weddings. I was at a loss for words, simply touching the glass in front of me. Alice turned her head to look at Jasper, and even though I was so far up and away, I could still see her smile. Seeing my sister's face-well, really just her profile-after so long made me smile like a maniac. She turned her head back to face the priest, and I looked at the guests sitting below me.

I saw my dear Uncle Darren, his blond afro making it impossible to mistake him. My Aunt Jemma was sitting next to him, whispering to the lady next to her. I could make out other people, Jasper's parents, Alice's friends from back home.

I saw the back of my mom's head, leaning on my dad's shoulder. I smiled slightly at the look of them, just imagining what they were thinking right now.

A few minutes later Alice and Jasper got up and faced each other, said their vows and kissed. Then they faced me, but I knew they wouldn't just see me; I was over twenty feet above them.

I could hear footsteps coming up the staircase. Fuck. The guard had found me. He started cursing at me in French again and pulling my arm to make me move.

"I'm her brother!" I told him, pointing below at Alice. He didn't understand me, or maybe he was just ignoring me. I thought back to my French classes.

"Sa frère! Sa frère!" I said, pointing at me and then Alice again, but he still kept pulling on me. I fought him off and looked back through the window. The married couple was walking back down the aisle, and I had to get Alice's attention before I got arrested.

Feeling extremely like Benjamin Braddock in _The Graduate_, I started banging on the glass and waving to make Alice see me. "ALICE!" I shouted over and over. The security guard got back up and took hold of my waist to make me move. I pushed him with one hand and banged on the glass with the other.

_Oh, man, am I in deep shit if they don't see me._

_Finally, _Jasper must have heard my commotion and looked up, meeting my eyes. His jaw dropped and he stopped walking abruptly. Alice noticed his hesitation and looked to see what was distracting him. I smiled wide and started jumping up and down when she saw me. Her jaw dropped, too, and she looked back at Jasper and asked him something. He shook his head and they both looked back at me. The guests started to notice, too, and I saw my mom run over to Alice, looking up at me.

More guards came to help the man trying to restrain me, and I couldn't fight off all of them. They pulled me away from the window and back down the stairs. A cop _handcuffed _me and started leading me out.

"No! My sister's the bride! You can't do this! Just ask her! Please!" I shouted. I tried to dig my heels into the floor to keep him from taking me. Then I saw a big blur of white, fluffy and thick and suffocating me.

"You're alive! Oh, Edward!" Alice's voice cried. Her arms gripped me tight and her veil was in my face. "Let him go! He's my brother!" The handcuffs came off in a second, but then I was strangled by more arms and fancy dresses.

"Edward!"

"You're really here?"

"I thought you were dead!"

"What happened?"

I looked into Alice's watery eyes and said, "Sorry I'm late."

She made a noise between a sob and a chuckle. "Well, you could have at least dressed a little nicer." Everyone burst out laughing.

I smile and fought myself out of the chaotic hugs and kisses, looking for a different face. My momma.

Her green gaze met mine, and I saw that there were tears in her eyes. She was standing by my dad, just looking at me, not moving. I walked over to her slowly, and once I got close, her arms shook as she opened them wide for me. She held me as tight as her little arms would allow, and I smelled her caramel hair. It smelled like her garden, just like it always had, and that comforted me to no end. She pulled back to look at me and wiped the tears away from my face.

"You're really here, son? I'm not dreaming?" she asked. I shook my head.

"Yes, I'm here, Momma," I said. My dad hugged us both.

When we pulled away again, I looked around at everyone.

"Don't any of you know how to answer a damn phone?"

We rode to the reception in a limo, all of us together because Alice didn't want to be separated for even ten minutes.

"So then, we found this little piece of land, and we were both starving, so we swam to it as fast as we could. Been there ever since." I explained our survival to my family on the way there.

Emmett shook his head before giving me a noogie. I fought myself out of his clutches and glared at him. "Sorry, bro. I just thought I'd never be able to do that again. I couldn't help myself." I tried to fix my hair again.

"So how'd you get off the island?" My father asked, still wanting to hear the rest.

"The Coast Guard came a few days ago and got us. Bella's ankle got broken the day before that, so we were lucky."

"Bella. Huh, why does that name ring a bell?" My mom said to herself. She looked at me strangely the whole time I talked about everything that had happened, like she was trying to figure something out. I didn't explain how Bella and I had fallen in love. I figured I would tell them at a more appropriate time.

Emmett laughed a little before saying, "So you were stuck on an island with a girl for two months, eh, Eddie? What'd you do for fun, huh? Play catch?"

I rolled my eyes at him but said nothing. _Let them think what they want._ My mom just kept looking at me with that strange expression. She noticed that I caught her and looked away, saying, "Well, you're here now. That's all that matters. I'm so sorry we never got your calls, Edward. I never kept my phone with me, and we were just so busy with everything."

"Well," I said, looking over to Rosalie with a smirk, "apparently one of you actually answers." She burst out crying, and I felt horrible and happy at the same time.

"I'm so sorry, Edward! I really thought it was a prank call! I swear!" she said.

"What are you talking about, Rose?" Emmett asked, confused.

"Edward called on your phone while you were in the shower, and it was an unknown number, so I answered. He told me it was him and I thought it was someone playing a sick joke! We could've known he was alive days ago had I listened!" she said.

"It's okay, Rose. It's no big deal," I said, silently happy with her apologizing. I'd never heard her do it before, and this was good enough payback.

We arrived at the reception then, and I went straight to the food before I could get attacked by anyone else.

I grabbed a plate of nothing but shrimp poppers and sat down. Bella was still in the back of my mind, but with all the happiness around me, it was a bit easier to ignore for the time being. As soon as this reception was over, I was going back to America. I heard Alice's tinkling little laugh as I stuffed my face.

"I guess the shrimp poppers won't be wasted after all," she said happily.

A/N: So, how was that? I'm thinking we'll get back with Bella either next chapter or the one after that. How do you think she's managing? And about the pregnancy vote: About 25 % of you said no, but the rest said YES! I really don't want to lose any readers because of this, so I'm asking all of you to please just TRUST ME! If you've liked the story so far, you're still going to like it in the future ;D

Thank you for reading and please review!


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: I'm so sorry for the wait. I'll explain later…

Chapter Nineteen

Bella

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE LEFT?" I roared, staring at the nurse standing feet from my hospital bed.

"He wanted me to tell you-"

"WHAT? TELL ME WHAT?" I asked, freaking out and throwing the first thing I saw-the alarm clock on my night stand. What did Edward want her to tell me? That I wasn't good enough? That all our time on the island meant nothing to him? I felt tears rush to my eyes and whimpered, grabbing the bed sheet to hide my face. I get woken to take medicine and I get the news that my supposed lover took off while I was out. If anyone wasn't sure about our affair before, he or she definitely had no doubts now.

The nurse was silent for a moment, taking in my tantrum. Then she walked over to me cautiously and sat on the edge of my bed, touching my good leg gently.

"He wanted me to tell you he was going to his sister's wedding. He wanted to take you, but he knew you needed surgery and couldn't travel. We told him not to wake you, but he did see you before he left. He's going to come back as soon as he can, Sweetie," she told me. My heart slowly started to calm at her words, and my lungs felt less constricted. I took a deep breath and looked up to her to see if she was really telling the truth.

"Really?" I asked quietly. She nodded, smiling softly and patting my knee.

I looked down at the white blanket covering me, thinking. "He's still not here." I was angry, but not as angry as I'd been a second ago. He was supposed to be here. We were supposed to be together, especially now. I didn't think I could handle anything without him near me.

I instantly felt selfish. _His sister's getting married, of course he's going to go._ As much as I wanted to keep him all to myself, now that we were in the real world, I would have to get used to him spending time with others. I realized his sister must have rescheduled her wedding and he left in a hurry. I was suddenly embarrassed by my behavior; I had no reason to not trust Edward, and he really did love me. I felt stupid for not believing it, even if it was for only a moment.

"I understand," I muttered to the nurse. I really did, but that didn't mean I had to like it. I still wanted him _here._

The nurse left me to my thoughts, and an hour later, a very familiar voice burst through the door.

"My baby!" Renee, my mother, squealed, holding out her arms and running to me. I smiled widely at her and hugged her tight. My dad walked through the door next, slowly, testing out the waters. Or maybe he was scared I would disappear. Hot tears rolled down my face and I didn't bother wiping them away.

"You gave us a scare, Bells," my dad said quietly. He produced a bouquet of flowers from behind his back and gave them to me. I smiled and thanked him, giving them room to sit on the bed.

What was I supposed to do? Apologize for the plane crashing? It wasn't like I could call them or anything. I loved both my parents so much, but this was already really awkward. I could tell my mom knew something was up with me. I clenched my knees together, thinking that if I didn't, she would figure out I wasn't a virgin anymore.

_Yeah, that ship sailed, _I thought.

"I'm sorry we didn't get here sooner, baby. Your cousin Phil had his last football game yesterday and won. So we threw a party last night and I didn't check my phone until this morning," my mom explained. "I had three missed calls and a voicemail from the hospital. Imagine how I felt when some man tells me in a voicemail that my only daughter is alive after all and waiting for us to come see her!" I laughed, imagining how my crazy mother must have reacted.

"I missed you two. So much." I got up from my bed and stretched, making sure not to jolt the ankle that was wrapped.

After telling my parents everything that had happened-leaving out Edward's and my relationship, of course-my dad offered to get us all coffee, which left me with just my mom.

We had been so close when I was younger, especially after my heart got broken in high school. I didn't date and I hadn't had many friends; my mom was the only person I really talked to. When I went to college, things had changed a bit, but she was still my best friend.

"Okay, now that old Papa is outta here, spill, woman. Give me the real details about this Edward," she said once the door closed behind my dad.

And I didn't want her to know about Edward, at least not until he returned. I remained silent for a few seconds, feigning confusion. It didn't work. It never worked.

"Bella," she said, rolling her eyes, "I'm not stupid. You skipped like half the story and went straight to when you guys were rescued." Her eyes widened accusatorily. I sighed and she smiled, knowing she defeated me and was going to get her way.

"Edward…" I trailed off, shaking my head and smirking. "He's…something, Mom."

"Something special or something as in 'no-good-news something'?" she asked.

"He's…I don't want to say perfect because most people imagine perfect being Prince Charming with impeccable manners and gentlemanly ways. So, no, perfect is not a good way to describe him. He's funny, he's charming, he's a complete pervert sometimes, he's going to be a doctor, he comes from a big, happy family. He's got this body, Mom, like I've never seen before, like he's Adonis or something. His eyes are the perfect shade of green, and they twinkle when he tries to make me laugh. And his smile! His beautiful eyes scrunch up and hide when he smiles, but it looks perfect on him, and his legs are so muscular like a gold medal swimmer," I said. Mom nodded, grinning.

"So he _is _perfect? To you?" she asked with that all-knowing smile.

I nodded slowly. "My favorite is when he looks at me. His whole face lights up and I feel like I'm the most special person in the world."

"How is he in bed? No, scratch that. How is he in sand? Wait, that sounded stupid. Argh, you know what I mean!" she asked.

"Mom!" I nearly yelled at her. I was _not _discussing this with her, no matter how much I missed her.

"What? I'm just trying to be supportive!" she said. I snorted. Yeah, supportive my ass. She just wanted juicy news.

"He's not married, is he?" she asked. "Because I would hate for you to have fallen in love and return to discover he's already married."

I grimaced because if Edward was married, he could have lied about it, and I would never have known. _Trust, Bella. _"Um…I don't know. He said he wasn't, and I believe him," I told her.

"Where is he?" she asked next.

I looked down at my hands in my lap and answered her. "France."

"Damn. That's far."

"Tell me about it." She looked at me questioningly. I sighed. "His sister was supposed to get married in France two months ago. That's why he was on the plane that crashed. I'm guessing she postponed it when she thought he died, and now she's having it."

My mom nodded, then changed the subject. "Well, sweetie, I'm so sorry, but we sold your house."

"What? Already?" I asked. Well, that didn't take long. "Where am I supposed to live now?" I couldn't live with my parents. After I moved to college, they'd bought a house overlooking the beach. Said house only had one bedroom. Mom shrugged.

"Oh, Honey, I'm sure when Edward returns he will want you to live with him." I could tell my mom was so excited about my newfound relationship, excited enough to want me to move in with him. She was probably glad she'd already sold my house because it meant I'd have more reason to live with him.

I had to admit, I was excited now, too. But I wouldn't admit that to my mother because I was a little angry that she had sold my house. It made me feel like she had already gotten over me, even though I knew that wasn't true.

Would Edward and I really live together now? I didn't want to get my hopes up until he came back.

"Mom, he lives in Chicago. And what about my job? Do you know what happened with Mike when he realized I was dead?"

"No, Baby. He called me to ask if it was true, and I told him yes. He might know you're alive now, though."

"Do you think he'll give me my job back?" I asked. She looked down and fell silent. I knew that look.

"What is it?" She looked back up at me, sadness in her eyes.

"Mike found a replacement…" she admitted. I narrowed my eyes. That bastard. He had probably found someone new the day after he thought I died. I worked my ass off for that position and put up with all his bullshit and now I had nothing to show for it. I sighed. Deep down, I knew I probably wouldn't have gone back anyway. I hated that job, not because of the work but because I was either flirted with or ridiculed every minute I was employed there.

And now I had less strings holding me back. Less strings keeping me here, away from Edward. We talked a bit more; she asked where he worked and I explained to her that he was an intern at a hospital and would be a doctor in a few years. She really liked that bit of information.

My dad returned then and we talked and reconnected until a doctor came into my room, asking to speak to me. I asked my parents to leave, scared that he had bad news. I didn't want my mom and dad to know right this minute if there was something wrong with me.

Edward

I finished the delicious shrimp poppers happily and grabbed a glass of wine. Guests were staring at me from everywhere in the room. I seriously thought about throwing flour all over myself and shouting "Boo!"

But that would have been mean.

"Edward!" shouted my aunt Jemma. Next I felt her wrinkly hands on my cheeks, pinching them. This was her favorite show of affection.

"Hey," I said. She shook her head slowly, disbelieving of what she saw before her.

"You always were a crazy little fucker," she said, now patting my cheeks and sitting beside me. Everything about her was so old fashioned…everything but her mouth.

"Yeah, well, I guess I'm a lucky little fucker now, too," I told her, finishing my glass. She stared at me intently for a few seconds, smiling crookedly. She cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes.

"What?" I asked.

"You're different."

"Different?"

"Yeah. You're happy. You look…happier than the last time I saw you." The last time I had seen her was when she came over for my birthday. I didn't remember being _unhappy _then, but I wasn't exactly jumping for joy; my mother had reminded me once again that I was getting older and still wasn't married like the rest of my friends. She went on and on about how each one of them had at least one kid. When I mentioned to her that two of my friends had already divorced, she merely put a hand on her hip and pouted.

"It's a good thing your mom and dad didn't sell your house. Some people were making offers to buy it, actually, but your mom wouldn't have any of that," Aunt Jemma said. I smiled, glad that I still had a home to return to. Maybe Bella would come home with me. And if she didn't want to leave Florida, I would just sell the house myself and move to be with her. Being apart was just not an option.

I watched my father dance with Alice, and when the song was over, Jasper took her hand but she wouldn't have it. She looked straight at me and waved for me to go over. I wrapped my hand around her tiny waist and kissed her forehead when we started moving. People started dancing around us, and Alice started crying.

"Mom told me this morning that you would do anything to be here tonight for me, and she was right. I thought you would be looking down at me from Heaven, but here you are. I can't believe you're really here," she said, looking up at me. I wiped her tears softly.

"Mom always knows best, Alice," I said. "I was so scared that you all would forget about me, but I was even more afraid that you wouldn't move on with your lives if I never came back. I didn't want my 'death' to…cause any problems."

She smiled and I continued. "Alice, this party is for you and Jasper, not me. You're married now!" I gestured to her white wedding dress. "I miss you so much, but I think you should be dancing with your husband." I saw Jasper waiting at the back of the dance floor and felt selfish for taking this special moment. I stopped our dancing and hugged her tight. It must have looked really strange to an onlooker-me in my t-shirt and jeans and Alice in a beautiful wedding dress, holding each other.

She slapped my hands lightly. "Careful, brother. This is Vera Wang," she chastised jokingly.

"Vera what?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and let go. I wiped more of her tears and led her to Jasper. We shook hands and then my little sister walked him to the center of the dance floor. I looked around and waved to a few people, trying to find my mom.

She was dancing with my dad, and when a new song came on, it was my turn. She ran her hand through my messy hair and laughed.

"I never thought I'd get to do that again," she said. "I missed you so much, my boy."

I felt a lump in my throat and tried to hold in my tears, but it didn't work.

"When we get home, I'm going to cook your favorite, okay? You look so thin. I wish I could just fatten you up. And I'll give you a haircut and we can go eat at your favorite sushi restaurant even though I hate sushi-"

"-No! I mean…No sushi. Not for a long time," I said. She giggled.

"Everything will go back to the way it used to be, Baby. And we'll never take separate planes again, I promise. We should have waited for you and taken the same plane."

"No!" I said even more loudly, interrupting her. "I'm so thankful we didn't get on the same plane, Mom. It was so scary, reaching the surface of the water and waiting for anyone else to…" I trailed off. I just kept shaking my head.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't mean to upset you," my mom apologized over and over again. I told her it was fine, and we continued waltzing.

"There is another thing you're wrong about," I told her, smiling. She looked at me questioningly. "Nothing will go back to the way it used to be." She saw that I said it happily, and didn't press me further. I thought of Bella more and how much my mom was going to love her.

A few hours later we watched Alice and Jasper get in a limo together to go on their honeymoon. They were traveling by car, and that alone made me feel better. Alice hugged me one more time and kissed my cheeks, telling me we would get together when she got back. Then they were gone.

Emmett clapped my back when we started climbing into a car to go to the hotel. "Man, you always got to come with a bang, huh, little brother?" I smiled at him and punched his stomach. He grabbed me around my neck and started giving me a noogie.

"Emmett, stop! You'll make him lose his hair like that," my mom fussed. Emmett rolled his eyes playfully. He always complained that I was the favorite child because Mom loved my hair so much.

Mom walked ahead of me to my family's hotel room, insisting I stay with them for the night. I instantly tried to refuse, wanting to get back to the USA. I wasn't going to tell her my reason for that, not tonight. Part of me really just wanted to keep Bella to myself for a while. I knew it wasn't likely to happen, partly because our supposed "affair" was all over the news and mostly because my mother knew me better than she knew herself.

And she knew something was going on with me, alright. I could tell from the way she kept looking at me. It was like she wanted to ask, but was scared to.

When we got inside the room, she pulled her cell phone from her suitcase and looked through it.

"Yep. Ten missed calls from an unknown number. I'm so sorry, Edward." She looked up at me apologetically and I shrugged, telling her it was no big deal now.

"Hmm. Looks like you weren't the only person trying to get in touch with me," she added thoughtfully. Something told me I needed to be curious, even though who called my mother was really none of my business.

"What do you mean?" I asked, walking closer to her.

"I have three missed calls from Renee Swan," she said. My eyes bugged out of my head instantly, and my stomach shot into my throat.

_Bella._

"Can I…see your phone?" I asked quietly, my voice detached from my frenzied mind.

She didn't hear me, and started talking to herself. "Who is that? Why do I have that number saved in my phone?" She stared at the screen for a few more seconds before something clicked. "Oh, this is the woman I met at the funeral!" She looked at me. "She had a daughter who died on the plane, and we got along great. But why is she calling me now? I haven't talked to her since two weeks ago."

So my mom knew Bella's mom? How weird.

"Her daughter Bella is the girl I was on the island with," I explained to her. Her eyebrows shot into her bangs.

"She lived! Oh, that's amazing! I'll call her back…she must still be awake because she just called me ten minutes ago!" my mom said, pressing a few buttons.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Bella's mom was the one that called to speak to my mom. Did Bella tell her mom about us? Was that why she was calling? To see if Esme's son was the same Edward that was now with her daughter? Or was I right and it was Bella calling for me? Had she told her mom and her mom realized who I was and gave her the number to get in touch with me?

I was so confused, and my mom was already dialing Renee's number.

"No! Mom, wait!" I made her hang up the phone even though it was ringing.

"What's wrong?" she asked. I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to tell my mom about Bella just yet, I had wanted to keep her to myself just a little longer. My tongue felt glued to my pallet. The phone started ringing in my mom's hands. Shit!

I shook my head, but she answered it anyway. "Hello?" my mom asked. She blinked a couple times before saying something. "Of course, Sweetie, here he is." She looked at me, a curious and happy glint in her eye, and handed me the phone.

My heart was pounding in my chest, probably hoping to break free and jump through the phone to Bella. I took the phone from my mom carefully.

"H-hello?" I stuttered. I heard a beautiful sigh on the other end.

"Edward?" Bella asked.

"Bella?" I asked back dumbly. My hands grew sweaty and my face went red, her voice making my mind and body go insane.

"Edward! It's really you!" she sobbed. I felt my face break into a large smile.

"Bella, I'm so sorry I left! I tried to tell you, but they told me I couldn't wake you, so I told a nurse to tell you where I went. I feel so horrible here without you, but you couldn't come with your ankle and all, and it was last minute. If I hadn't left then I would have missed the wedding!" I desperately tried to explain everything to her, but she stopped me.

"It's alright, Edward, I understand. I mean, I'm not happy about it, but I understand." She was quiet for a moment, and I was thankful that she understood.

"I just need you, Edward! I need you to come back! When are you coming back?" she asked. I could practically hear the tears falling on the phone.

"Tomorrow, I promise! I'll take the earliest plane I can. I wanted to tonight, but there's no more flights tonight. I-" I looked at my mom, who was taking in my conversation with a bright, knowing smile on her face. I had to say this, even though I didn't want my mom to hear.

Oh, fuck it.

"-I need you, too, Bella. So much. I'll be there as soon as I can." She breathed deeply. "Hey, how was the surgery?" I asked. She was silent again, and it worried me. "Bella?"

"They cancelled the surgery, Edward. My doctor told me today that he wants to run more tests before he works on my ankle," she said.

"Is something wrong?" Fear rose in my heart. Was she sick?

"No, no. He assured me it's nothing bad. He just wanted to run more tests to be sure," she said. I let out a breath I'd been holding.

"Okay," I said, "So you'll still be at the hospital tomorrow when I get there? You want me to go straight there?" I knew the answer already, but I just wanted to hear her talk. Her voice made me crazy and calm at the same time.

"Yes. If something happens, call me at this number. This is my mom's cell number. It's the funniest thing, you know? My mom left me her cell when she left the hospital so that I'd have a way to get in touch with her and Dad. Something told me to start looking through the numbers, and imagine my surprise when I see your mother's name on the list!" She laughed then, and I laughed with her. "This is fate, Baby. I really hope I'm not running up our mothers' phone bills, though, with you being so far away."

"Don't worry about it," I told her quickly. "I'm glad you called. I miss you so much already."

"Me too. I guess I'll see you tomorrow. I'm going to bed. The nurse gave me sleep medication and I'm about to crash."

"Good night, Bella." I looked over to my mom again. She was rooted to the same spot she'd been in for the last five minutes and fifty three seconds, still smiling at me. "I love you," I said into the phone, looking away from my mom again.

"I love you, Edward. Good night." I waited for her to hang up first before I snapped the cell phone shut and turned to my mom. I felt like a dog with his tail between his legs, even though I did nothing wrong.

She still had that damn sickly sweet smile on her face. She walked over to me slowly.

"It's about fucking time, Edward," she said. My jaw dropped at her cursing and she sat us both down on the bed.

"Now tell me about this special girl."

A/N: Awe, Esme. Sorry about the long wait, guys. The last month has been really hard. I was partying a lot at first. Then I found out that the man I've been with for four years has been stealing from me. I pressed charges and all, but that just made me more of a mess, and it's really hard to write a love story when I can barely see through my tears. Then my computer crashed. Yeah, one thing after the other. I got it fixed today (cost a fortune) and finished the chapter. I hope you liked it. E and B back together next chapter!


	20. Chapter 20

Hello, my lovely readers! It's been a while, but I'm sure you all understand after what happened! BTW, my birthday was Wednesday! I just turned twenty, and now I'm kind of sad because I'll never be a teenager again. *Pouts*

And speaking of age, this chapter is a little lemony…Honestly, I don't care if you're under eighteen and reading M rated stories. To me, if you're old enough to have sex (and I don't know about you guys, but I started pretty damn young, much younger than eighteen), then you're old enough to read lemons. Make that choice for yourself. Some rules are just stupid. And lemons=better sex life. Just saying.

Okay, back to Stranded… I NOW HAVE A STRANDED OUTTAKE POSTED. CHECK IT OUT!

E and B finally reunite!

Chapter Twenty

Bella

_ What other tests could he possibly need to run?_ I thought as my doctor walked out of my room. I was taken off the list of surgeries for the day, and he wanted to draw more blood. He used a lot of big words and confused the hell out of me, but he assured me it was probably nothing serious. I was just angry because I hated needles and I hated blood, so drawing blood again wasn't exactly pleasant.

I laid back and switched the television back on; it was still on the news, and I was so sick of seeing the newscaster talk about the phenomenon/miracle that was Edward's and my rescue. There was nothing better to talk about at the moment, no famous couple having a baby or anything. Part of me was kind of flattered, but still aggravated with the whole ordeal and especially all the attention. I changed the station to the Food Network. My parents had left at the end of visiting hours and were going to return as soon as they started again today.

Talking to Edward the night before had made me feel incredibly better. He was coming to see me as soon as he got off the plane tonight. I was dreading the possibility that he wouldn't get back in time for visiting hours. I drove myself crazy with worry and stayed up from four in the morning until six, when I finally fell asleep again. I slept for an hour until Charlie and Renee showed up at seven. This time they brought me balloons saying "Get Well Soon".

When lunchtime arrived, my dad left to get us some good food, and my mom confessed that she had already told everyone about Edward.

"Mom, please don't tell me you told people I was in a relationship before telling them I was even alive!" I said to her, my mouth wide open.

She looked taken aback before quickly gathering herself and replying, "No…it was the second." I simply looked at her, struck dumb. It felt like she was more excited about the fact that I had someone than that I was actually still breathing.

Taking on a guilty face, she said, "Bella, Honey, I'm sorry. I just…" she trailed off for a few seconds, trying to find the words, "For so long, you seemed so miserable. After that first boy did what he did, and you shut the rest of the opposite sex out, I thought you were always going to be that way. Can you imagine the dread a mother feels to know her daughter is hurting and that there's nothing she can do to help? And then imagine her going away for a while and then returning _happy!_ You're glowing, Bella, and it's because of this boy. I'm sorry if I seem more focused on the reason for your happiness, but I just can't help it after seeing you so despondent for so many years." She took my hands in hers and looked me square in the eye. I hadn't noticed before, but her once tight, perfect skin looked slightly worn; she had bags under her eyes and the laugh lines I was so used to seeing weren't as prominent. My mom had suffered because of my 'death' and I felt horrible for even thinking that something else was more important to her than me.

I smiled at her and leaned forward to hug her, apologizing.

The rest of the day was boring, but I did get many well wishes from distant relatives; a few of my mom's cousins called and I talked to them for a bit, and my dad's old friend Harry stopped by to see me. He was very humorous about the whole thing, which I appreciated. He asked me if I caught any good trout on the island, and we all had a good laugh. I constantly checked the clock, which made time seem to be moving slower than ever. I couldn't wait for Edward to be within my grasp again.

Edward

My mom took my face in between her hands and kissed both my cheeks lightly. I felt her tears on my face.

"Mom…" I said sadly. I felt bad for doing this, but I definitely wasn't going to change my mind. She pouted.

"I just got you back, and now I have to say goodbye again," she said, more tears running down her cheeks. We were at the airport, and it was extremely early, but my mom, dad, and Emmett and Rose brought me despite Mom's wishes to keep me in France.

We had discussed Bella for a long time and she'd asked me many questions about the island. My father showed up later, but I didn't want to share with him; I didn't want to share with anyone, really. My mom was just an exception because she'd insisted. My mom went on and on about how she had missed me. She became a blubbering mess the longer we stayed together, and even had my father and me in tears, too, by the end of the night. She had held it in during the wedding, she said, and now that it was finished, she just wanted to "soak in my presence". My parents had missed me so much, and I hated telling my mother that I was leaving again as soon as possible.

I wound up sleeping in Alice and Jasper's room since they were gone and because the room was connected to my parents'. My mom even tried to talk me into sleeping in between her and Dad like I was little. After all the embracing and tears, my father talked her out of pushing me. She truly didn't want to leave my side for one second.

Sleeping in the bed was odd. I'd slept in one the night before, but hadn't thought much about it because I had been so tired. After a full hour of lying down and thinking, I decided I should be well-rested for when I saw Bella again, so I let sleep take me.

And now we were here, standing inside an airport, waiting for the first flight back to the States. There was a layover in New Jersey, and I should be in Bella's room by six at night if I was lucky.

The hold on my face tightened as more huge tears cascaded down my mother's face.

"Mom, I'll be home when you get back. You'll see me in a couple of days." It was true; my family was staying in France two more nights before flying home. I smiled at her and Dad. He didn't really know what to do—on one hand, he wanted me to do what made me happy, and on the other hand he wanted to be with me, too, and make Mom happy. Mom merely frowned more, but said nothing else.

I looked toward Emmett; he and Rosalie were hanging on the side, being pretty silent. If Emmett didn't want me to go, he wasn't voicing it. Maybe he was still in shock that I was even alive. I walked over to them and hugged them both simultaneously—Emmett picked Rosalie and me up, each of us in one beefy arm. I laughed out, trying to breathe and failing. He put us down and said, "When we get back this weekend, you and I are going to Nibbers, okay, Bro?" Nibbers is a strip club Em and I used to always go to. We hadn't been since his bachelor party, though.

"Ahh, sure, Em," I said, knowing full well I wouldn't be going to any strip clubs anytime soon, but not wanting to refuse my brother. I gave him one final hug before moving back to my parents.

I hugged my dad and got a low, "Love you, Son," before moving to my mom. She knew why I was going back home; the others didn't; I guessed they decided not to ask questions and just be happy I was alive.

Mom wrapped her arms around me tightly and kissed my cheek. Before pulling away, she whispered in my ear, "I want to meet her, Edward. Soon. And I want you waiting at home when we get back. I miss you, my little boy." I pulled back and wiped the lipstick off my face, knowing it would make her laugh.

"I love you, Mom," I said quietly, almost reverently.

"I love you, too," she said, handing me a rosary. My mom was the only religious person in our family, but I decided to humor her. I picked up my small suitcase that Mrs. Cope had packed for me days ago and turned to walk toward the place I needed to be for my flight.

"Bye guys," I started, walking away slowly. "I hope the plane doesn't crash!" Emmett laughed loudly and I saw Mom roll her eyes.

"We will be arriving in twenty minutes…" the pilot said on the intercom. _Finally, _I thought, _Tampa._ The plane ride wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, even though it did take forever, despite the layover. I'd taken a sleeping pill for the first ride, so I kind of cheated. I was just so excited about seeing Bella again that all my other worries were pushed to the backburner.

After landing, I quickly hailed a cab and another ten minutes later I was walking through the doors of the hospital. I saw no reporters in the vicinity—a good sign. Did that mean our story had died down or that security got them all out? I breathed in the humid air before walking to a flower shop inside the hospital. I bought a dozen white roses and continued on.

My mind felt disconnected from my body, and my legs moved of their own accord. I couldn't help the shit eating grin plastered on my face, either. I ran one hand through my knotted hair and the other over my erratic heart. Maybe Bella could hear my heartbeat from here? That just made me smile more.

I walked to the desk in the middle of the room and asked for Bella Swan's room. They should remember me from before, and I should have no problem getting in now, family or not. She wasn't on the surgery list anymore.

"Room 513, just take the elevator to your right," the woman at the computer told me after asking my name. They should have been expecting me. She looked up at me and I walked away when I saw her eyes widen. I rubbed my newly-shaved jaw, wondering how Bella would like my clean look. I sure didn't miss the beard, and I hoped she wouldn't, either.

I took the elevator one floor up and walked to Bella's room quickly. Not able to contain myself, I threw the large wooden door open and ran in, taking in the sight before me.

A woman with light brown, shoulder length hair was sitting on a chair to the left of the room, and there was a tall, thin man with dark brown and gray hair sitting on the corner of the bed. Right past him was my island girl, half lying half sitting in the bed, eating a poptart. A large, beautiful smile lit her face when she saw me, and I tripped over my own feet in my rush to get to her.

They all laughed loudly, especially Bella, and who I assumed was her mother got up from the chair to help me back up.

"I'm guessing you're Edward?" she asked, patting my back and taking the roses from me, setting them on the stand next to her. Bella laughed again as I nodded, walking toward her again. I sat on the other side of the bed that wasn't occupied by Bella's father. Taking both her small hands in mine, the rest of the world disappeared, and we stared at each other simultaneously in fascination.

"Let's give them some privacy, hon," I heard Bella's mom say to the man. He didn't budge. "Charlie!" she chastised.

He sighed before giving in. "Yes, Dear." They left the room, closing the door behind them. As soon as I heard the door click, I started.

"I missed you so much."

"Me too," she said, putting her forehead against mine. I closed my eyes and leaned in, dying to kiss her again. It was soft and sweet, Heaven. She tasted so much better than she did on the island, and I bet I did, too. I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth and tugged, tasting more of her. She giggled and deepened the kiss, grabbing my jaw and slipping her tongue against mine.

She started gasping for air, so I let go of her hair and parted our lips. She was blushing like she was on fire, and she looked so much more healthy than the last time I'd seen her.

I ran my fingers down her reddened cheek and she brought her hand up to hold mine against her face. She giggled again, making me smile.

"What's so funny?"

"You. You're scruffy…but your beard is gone. I was starting to really like the beard." I rolled my eyes at her and rubbed my scruffy face against hers like I'd done on the island what felt like forever ago. It made her face more red and irritated, but she laughed anyway.

With a small sigh, she kissed me again and said, "I love you."

"I love you more. You compare one tree to a whole forest," I said.

"Lie down with me?" she asked quietly, scooting over and lifting the blankets. I took off my shoes and obliged happily and we lay down facing each other. I traced her face as she traced mine, remembering all our special words and moments on the island. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Bella spoke.

"I don't have a house anymore. Or a job." She frowned and I kissed it away.

"Come live with me. Please. I have a huge house and a huge bed that's always empty because I can't stand sleeping in it by myself. Besides, someone needs to cook for me." She laughed and slapped my chest playfully.

"And my kitchen…geez, it's probably gathering more dust than before," I told her in a light voice, hoping she would say yes. I traced my arm around her waist and held her to me, smashing her breasts against my chest. "I'll probably have to start my internship all over again, but I have money saved up." I started trailing kisses down the column of her throat. "I could go to bed with you every night…" I trailed off, finding the hollow piece in between her throat and her chest and licked it. "I could worship you every second." I kissed above her heart, slightly sucking on her skin. "We can make chocolate chip pancakes every morning and eat pizza in the afternoon…" She moaned when my lips reached the edge of her hospital gown. "And get really fat…or we could just make love all the time, forget about eating and get really, really skinny."

Goosebumps rose on her creamy flesh. Conscious of her cast, I slid my knee between her thighs and started to undo the ties of the gown at the top. I needed to touch her all of a sudden, and by the way she was breathing and moaning, I guessed she needed to touch me, too.

I finally got the gown untied and peeled it away from her body. I bit the top of her breast and she gripped my hair, pulling on the strands and trying to keep quiet. Grinding myself into her midsection, I ran my hand between her breasts and over her navel, finding my way to her wetness. I was so hard that it hurt, but this was about her. My mouth found her nipple at the same time my fingers reached her folds. I blinked my eyelashes against her breast, the way I knew she liked, and bit down slightly on her taut peak. She ground herself back against my hand and held my head right where it was on her chest. She was wet for me, but I wanted more.

Flattening my tongue, I ran it across her right nipple to her left and inserted two fingers inside of her. I opened my eyes and took a quick peek at her face. Her mouth was slightly open and she was watching me with hooded eyes. Not moving my gaze from hers, I pressed my thumb against her clit and watched her gasp softly. She was more wet, more hot, and I couldn't wait to get her in my big bed to discover more about her body and really _feel _what it's like to be normal and in love.

As she came, I imagined our future. My house was brick, but if she wanted a purple house with a white picket fence, then so be it. I could watch her body swell with our children; we could have twelve for all I cared, so long as she was happy. If I did finish my internship and became a doctor and she didn't like my hours, then I would go back to college.

I would do anything for her.

After she calmed down from her high, I retied the strings of her gown and kissed her collarbone.

"Yes," she said suddenly. I looked at her.

"Yes?" I questioned.

"Yes, silly. Yes, I'll live with you." I smiled wide and kissed her deeply. "But I don't have any warm clothes for Chicago."

"You can wear mine," I said teasingly. She giggled again, my favorite sound in the entire world (other than her moaning).

A few minutes later I asked about her ankle, and she told me what the doctor had said. It worried me a little since he didn't really give her an answer as to why he was taking more tests, but she didn't seem too concerned, so I didn't make a big deal about it.

Bella's parents came in a little later and introduced themselves properly. I had to extricate myself from Bella, definitely not wanting to, but wanting to make a good impression on the parents. Renee was just as Bella had described her, and she took a great liking to me. Charlie, however, seemed to not like me, but I guessed he was probably leery about any man who looked at his daughter the way I was. We would all have to leave in a few minutes since visiting hours ended at seven, and Bella's parents offered to let me stay at their house which was thirty minutes away. I opted for a hotel, though, that way I would be closer.

Just when we were about to leave, Bella's doctor came in and told her that her test results came in. She asked her parents to leave, and I thought she would ask me to, too, but she told me she wanted me here. I was admittedly kind of scared, but the doctor seemed calm.

Once Charlie and Renee were gone from the room, I walked over to Bella and held her hand, waiting for the news.

His name was Dr. Gerandy, a fairly old man with stress lines in his face and lots of gray in his hair. He smiled at us as he held Bella's clipboard and walked a bit closer.

"Miss Swan, your test results came back quite normal, but there is one thing that may come as a shock to you," he said with a small smile. I'd always hated when doctors didn't just cut to the chase. I never wanted to be that kind of doctor.

He continued, "Your blood test detected a high level of hCG, which stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, the pregnancy hormone."

"Wait!" Bella said, "I'm pregnant?"

Dr. Gerandy nodded, and I could feel Bella's hand get sweaty in my own, only I didn't know if it was my sweat or hers.

"I'd say about fourteen days by the level of hCG in your system," he said. "We'll have to take precautions for your surgery, of course…" he trailed off, but I barely heard him.

I looked down at Bella, who sensed my gaze and looked up at me. There was fear in her eyes, but I saw something else, something good. Happiness?

I saw my face reflected in her eyes, and it read the same emotion.

A/N: Well, you all wanted it, so I gave it to you. I have to admit, I really like this outcome. And for all of those who voted against this (which weren't many), I understand why. But I have a reason for everything, and I hope I don't lose any readers because of this. I'm just asking one thing: trust me. If you've liked the story so far, you will still like it to the end. Just trust me. Stranded's 1 year anniversary is coming up, and I am sooo proud of it. I have to thank all of you for sticking with me so far and giving me encouragement and ideas.

CHECK OUT THE OUTTAKE! And yeah, as usual…REVIEW!

Two hundred people died in that plane crash and one innocent life came out of it…I think it's cute, don't you? ;D


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Sorry this took a month. I've been really busy, and I had writers block. This was a hard chapter, and I don't know how I feel about it.

Happy reading!

Chapter Twenty One

A baby. A baby?

Visions of dirty diapers and bald heads filled my mind. Spit up and crying…

Green eyes and bronze hair…

And then I was happy. The second of dread was gone, and I was instantly…excited. Terrified, yes, but excited.

I looked over at Edward, who was standing next to my bed, holding my hand. He didn't even look surprised, just…happy. Dr. Gerandy was still talking, and Edward smiled at me before motioning towards him, telling me to listen because when he was saying was important. I looked back at Dr. Gerandy.

"I suggest you get an obstetrician soon; we have a great one here named Dr. Victoria Gray. I can arrange a meeting between the two of you if you'd like. You're still very early in your pregnancy, which is lucky because the anesthesia needed for your surgery puts pregnant women at risk for early labor in the second and third trimesters, but since you're only in your first, I wouldn't be too concerned. There's no reason to avoid general anesthesia in the first trimester. I don't ever recommend taking x-rays on pregnant patients, but we've already done yours and everything looks fine."

Dr. Gerandy smiled at us again. Lord only knows what must have been going through his head. I tried to think of something to say to clear the awkwardness.

"So when am I going to have surgery?" I asked in a detached voice.

"Very early tomorrow morning. 6:00 was the only time available, so I slotted you in there," Dr. Gerandy said. I nodded in understanding, and he bid Edward and I goodbye.

I blinked a few times, trying to get my head cleared. I was staring at the wall, and I could feel Edward staring at me. Deciding to just grow some balls, I faced him slowly.

"I think you would make a great father," I whispered to him. "A handsome one, too." He smiled at me sweetly and sat down on the bed.

He bit his lip and leaned forward, touching his forehead to mine and closing his eyes. "I want this, Bella. I mean, I wanted it before, considered it a few times and hoped for it, maybe not this soon, but definitely someday. Please tell me we're on the same page, that you want this too, and that this doesn't change your mind about moving to Chicago with me." He opened his eyes against mine; I could feel his eyelashes brushing against my own.

"I do, a thousand times, I do. For a second I didn't, but I think I should be allowed one second of being crazy after all that information." Edward chuckled and nodded before motioning for me to go on. "And I'll still move with you to Chicago." I ran a hand through his hair. "You know me, Baby. Once I make a decision, nothing changes my mind."

He looked really happy, his eyes twinkling with hope and happiness. "I love you."

"And I love you," I said. I kissed him deeply, and when we pulled away from each other, he looked down at my midsection.

"Fourteen days, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah. It seems like we're always counting down to something," I replied, thinking of how we had counted the days on the island.

"Nothing wrong with that," he said, smirking. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I guess it was likely to happen, wasn't it?"

I smiled, holding back a laugh. "Yeah, with all that sex. You're damn right it was bound to happen!" I said. He chuckled.

"I just can't keep my hands off you, Bella Swan."

A little while later, Edward did have to leave because it was past visiting hours.

"What are you going to tell your mom?" he asked me. I looked down, realizing I had no idea how to go about this. My parents could never be disappointed in me, and I wasn't worried about that. It's just that they had just gotten me back and were still getting over the shock of it. I didn't want to add anymore on them. And I sort of wanted to share this little secret with Edward alone for a while. I wanted to celebrate together before telling anyone.

"I'm going to tell her that I'm moving to Chicago with you after my surgery," I told Edward.

"What about the…baby?" he asked. It was the first time either of us said the word, and I felt a strange twinge in my stomach, a little tingle caused by his words.

"I think that can wait. What do you think?"

He nodded. "Sure. I mean, we have a bunch of time; most women with an unplanned pregnancy don't find out until they're already two months along," he said. "I won't tell my folks, either." He made a face, and I guessed it was because he was thinking about what his family would do when they _did _find out.

Edward took a deep breath. "Guess I gotta go now before they throw me out," he said. He leaned down and kissed my lips sweetly, smiling against them.

I hummed in happiness, wishing he wouldn't have to leave. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too, Bella. Part of me wishes we were still on the island where we wouldn't have to answer to people and could just be together all the time. But then another part of me wants to be a caveman and show you off to the world. And _another _part of me just wants whatever you want." I laughed at his rant and pulled him down for another kiss before shooing him toward the door.

"I'll be here tomorrow morning at five," were his parting words, and I watched him walk out with tears forming in my eyes.

I sat back in my bed and let my thoughts take me, smelling the spot on my pillow where Edward had laid his head.

So I was carrying a life in my body…A piece of Edward and me growing and forming as I simply sat here. What a strange feeling… Something—someone—was depending on me for survival. I was also hit with a slight feeling of sadness. Edward and I had not _planned _this. That didn't make this wrong, per se, but I thought about what a normal couple would be doing in these shoes—well, technically, these ovaries.

A normal couple would have started trying. They would have put smiley faces on all the days they had "tried" on a calendar. They would have waited until a missed menstrual cycle and jumped for joy when it didn't come one month. Then they would have bought a bunch of cheap home pregnancy tests. I could imagine Edward handing me glass after glass of water just so I could keep peeing and trying the tests. I could see us attacking each other after seeing a bunch of plus signs and "celebrating" until dawn.

But Edward and I weren't going to have that, and it made me sad. I wouldn't discuss that with him, though, because I really didn't want him to think I was disappointed about the baby.

My whole life had just changed. Again. I had been a different person when I got on that plane two months ago, and now that I was off the island, I had to change again. Edward and I were going to live together and raise a family in Chicago, or at least that's where we would start. This was certainly not what I was expecting when I would be rescued.

I thought back to my life before the island. If someone had told me three months ago what was going to happen to me and that I was going to fall in love and get pregnant in the strangest way possible, I would have laughed in his or her face.

And having surgery tomorrow…I wasn't even scared about that. A few days ago it was the most of my worries, and now it had jumped to the last of the list. Every time I tried changing my train of thought, I was unsuccessful. All I could think of was, "There's something growing in my body." I wondered how long it would take me to get over the shock of all this. _Probably after our child is out,_ I thought, wincing. _That's going to hurt._

After a while, I was finally able to get my mind back on track. I wondered why type of car Edward drove. We hadn't talked about that. Would he have to trade it in for something bigger and more child friendly? Maybe if he had a sports car—which I was sure he did, because he's Edward—I could just get a nice, smart car and we could share it. He would have to start interning again next semester. I had no idea how hard this was going to be, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy.

He would have a whole family there in Chicago, and I'll have no one but him. And as much as I hated to be a mooch, I just knew I couldn't work now. What would be the point and who would hire me? It would take me a while to heal after my surgery and I would be going on maternity leave in several months. I rubbed my palms over my face in frustration. They were calloused from the island and the very though brought a smile to my face. It was so strange being in air-condition, too. My toes were cold, and I felt like a babe in the woods. It was a good thing we weren't on the island longer, otherwise I'd have turned into a savage.

What if Edward's family hated me? What if I grew to hate this life I'd chosen? I knew I could never hate Edward, but there were so many questions when it came to us. And my mom…that was going to be a tough one. She wasn't going to like my telling her about moving. Perhaps I could have a going away party before I left to satisfy her, as much as I hated the idea of a party. I groaned and slid under my covers.

The next morning I was awoken by Edward at five, and not even a minute later my parents arrived. We had been in the middle of a quick makeout session, and I knew they knew what had been going on. They were surprised to see Edward there before them.

A while later an anesthesiologist came in and I started to grow slightly afraid even though I'd had many fractures before with many surgeries. My mom kissed my forehead and my dad hugged me. A quiet awkwardness fell over the room when I looked at Edward. I begged him with my eyes, and he got what I wanted right away. We said nothing as he sat on the bed with me and kissed me softly, right in front of my parents. We smiled at each other when our lips parted and our eyes opened, and Edward moved so that the anesthesiologist could get to my drip. Her name was Kate and she quickly explained to me how I would fall asleep right away and be out for a few hours.

A few seconds later I was aware that I was being rolled away, the people rolling my bed looking down at me and laughing. I felt a smile on my face, giddiness taking over as my eyes started to close.

"There she goes…"

Edward

We sat in the waiting room, me between Renee and Charlie, for two hours. I'd already gone through two bags of pretzels and a Coke before a nurse came to tell us we could see Bella. We followed her to the room Bella was held in. She was lying peacefully on the bed, still sleeping.

"She should be awake in a few minutes," the nurse said before leaving. Renee took a seat next to the bed in the only chair, and Charlie stood next to her. I stood next to Bella's sleeping form and just watched as her eyes fluttered open. I was the first person she saw, and it made me extremely happy.

She smiled softly and looked around for her parents. They surrounded us and asked how her ankle felt.

"It hurts," she replied, "but not as bad as that time I broke my leg."

Renee laughed and said, "I can't believe you remember that! You were seven!" Bella shrugged and grinned sheepishly. She looked back at me, and I could tell by the look she gave me that she was thinking about the secret we shared.

The whole night I was in the hotel, I was thinking about our baby—what it would look like, what we would name it, what the gender would be. I didn't fall asleep until around three because I was so excited. I even forgot to breathe a few times. I winked at Bella, and she winked back.

It was another hour before Bella's doctor visited her and said he wanted to keep her one more night before letting her leave. She would be released the next morning, and a nagging voice in the back of my mind wondered whether she'd be coming with me or going with her parents.

Renee, Charlie, and I stayed the rest of the day until visiting hours were once again over. I kissed her goodbye and got a taxi to my hotel. When I got to my room, I called my mom from the hotel phone. It took a while for me to finally get through, and she answered, probably knowing it would be me. My family was coming home in two days, and as much as I wanted to stay here with Bella, I had promised my mom that I would be home to see her when they got back. I would have to fly to Chicago tomorrow, so that meant Bella would either have to stay with her parents for a while or come with me.

"Hello?" my mom asked.

"Hey, Mom," I said, "How is everything?"

"Oh, Edward, I'm so glad you called me. I can't wait to see you. I sent Mrs. Cope home to clean up your house and get it ready to live in again, but I think that you should stay with your father and me when we get back. Alice is going to come once her honeymoon is over so that we can spend time all together, doesn't that sound nice? I bet I can sweet talk Emmett into coming, too, maybe get everyone here for a week or so."

"Mom, slow down. We have a few days to figure everything out," I told her.

She sighed deeply, and I heard my father's voice in the background asking who she was talking to. "It's Edward, Dear."

"Oh, really? Tell him hi for me," my dad said. I chuckled when my mom relayed the message.

"So how was Bella's surgery? How is she?" Mom asked.

"She's fine. She gets to go home tomorrow morning," I said happily.

_And we're having a baby. Isn't that nice, Mom? _I thought. I cringed at the response I would get from her if I were to tell her. She would keep me on the phone for hours.

Exhaustion started to take over since I'd barely slept the night before, and I talked to my mom a bit longer before hanging up. I was going to get a flight late tomorrow after staying with Bella a while. I took a quick shower and went straight to bed, and I dreamed of small fingers and thick brown hair on a small, chubby head.

I woke up early again and I arrived just when Bella was leaving. She was being helped into a wheelchair by two nurses, and her parents were waiting outside the door.

"Hey, Edward," Bella told me when she saw me. Her face lit up and I noticed her complexion was much better today. She wasn't as pale, and her hair seemed to be a lot less lifeless.

"You can come home with us, Edward," Renee offered.

"Okay. That sounds good, I just have to catch my flight at six," I said. "I have to meet my parents tomorrow at the airport in Chicago because they're coming home from France."

"Well we can bring you to the airport, Hon."

Riding in the car with the Swans was awkward. Renee insisted that Bella sit in the front with her, so I had to sit in the backseat with Charlie. We didn't really talk much unless you counted Renee asking me about my family and secretively trying to find out things about me. Bella giggled a few times when our gazes met in the rearview mirror, and I couldn't help but laugh, too.

Charlie and Renee Swan lived in a one bedroom little house that overlooked the ocean, and I could tell that the house was meant for a vacation and not for someone to live in full time. I wondered where the hell Bella was going to sleep, especially with the new cast; she wouldn't fit on the couch. She seemed to figure this out, too, and told her mom she would just get a hotel.

"No, you won't," I interrupted. For God's sake, my girl had a broken ankle! And she wanted to stay alone in a hotel? She really was selfless, and I knew what her mom would say before she said it.

"No, Bella, you're going to stay here. Your father and I will give you our bedroom." Bella looked at me, frustrated. She didn't want to make her parents give up their bedroom just for her.

"And where will you sleep?" Bella asked, knowing her mom wouldn't have a good answer to that.

Renee paused, thinking. "We'll set up the air mattress." Bella rolled her eyes, and I came up with the perfect plan.

"You can come with me to Chicago…my house should be ready by tonight," I offered, hopeful. I hated and loved the idea of taking Bella from her parents already. I wanted her to spend time with them, but I wanted her to spend time with me, too.

Charlie didn't look pleased, but Renee looked like she didn't know what to say, shocked by my proposal. Bella just looked back and forth at us. She was thinking the same thing; Edward, parents, Edward, parents…

"My dad is a doctor, so he would see to it that she gets everything she needs. And I have an extra bedroom," I added, fully knowing if Bella came with me, we would never leave the bedroom, much less need another one. But I wasn't stupid enough to let her parents in on that little fact.

Renee looked at Bella carefully. "Is that what you want, Bells?" she asked.

Bella nodded. "I don't really see any other way. Edward will take care of me, and I'll see you guys soon. I promise I'll come back soon."

"Are you sure you can even fly?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I'll just take my paid meds," Bella said.

"That's not what I meant."

"I'll be fine, Dad."

"I shouldn't have sold your house so soon, Baby, I'm sorry. We wouldn't be going through this if I hadn't," Renee said sadly.

Renee cooked spaghetti for lunch and talked about Bella's younger years to me; she even showed me Bella's baby book, which was ironic since we were secretly both thinking about our own child. Bella and I barely got a minute to ourselves until it was time to go. Bella had a pair of crutches and insisted that she use them instead of let me roll her around in the wheelchair.

Charlie and Renee brought us to the airport, and I bought Bella's ticket. The goodbyes were teary for all of them when it was time to go, and I would have felt like a douche had it not been for the fact that I was on a high. Bella was coming _home _with me. I honestly couldn't wait to get her in that big tub and—

"You take care of my little girl," Charlie interrupted my thoughts.

"I—I will," I stuttered, sounding like a complete moron. I shook his hand and hugged Renee before wrapping an arm around Bella and walking to the boarding area. She waved back to her parents, stopping once to free a hand from her crutches to wipe her tears.

"Hey," I said to her softly. I pushed her hair out of her face. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said.

Bella's seat was set in the back, but I the guy next to me agreed to switch seats with her so we could sit together. She took her pain medication and it knocked her out for the two hour flight, and I had to wake her up once we arrived in Evanston.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "Numb, I guess. But happy. I get to see where you live."

Mrs. Cope came to pick us up, and I hadn't told her Bella was coming. I wanted it to be a surprise, and I wanted to surprise my parents the next day. She would have to wait at the house, though, because the doctor didn't want her on her feet much.

When Mrs. Cope saw us, she just about screamed. I introduced the two of them and we left in Mrs. Cope's van, headed for my house. The place was a mess when we walked inside, dusty and lifeless.

"I didn't get to do the downstairs, I've been working on your room and the bathroom all day," Mrs. Cope explained. "At least it's clean in there. I swear, there was an inch of dust everywhere. No one's been here since…" she trailed off and I nodded to show her I got it.

A few minutes later she left, and I had Bella all to myself. It was strange, mostly because we'd never experienced any sort of normalcy.

"What do you want to do?" I asked her, trying to break the awkward silence.

"I'm still tired…" she said. She wobbled over to me and trailed a hot finger down my chest. "But I'd like a bath, Mr. Cullen, if you don't mind."

I smiled mischievously. "I certainly don't, Miss Swan." I picked her up bridal style and quickly brought her up the stairs. I lit candles and turned off all the lights. In five minutes flat the tub was filled and we were naked except for Bella's cast. I wrapped it in plastic bags before setting her in the bath and crawling in behind her.

She leaned back against me and sighed happily as I washed her hair. "Your house is beautiful, Edward."

"It's kind of yours now, too." She looked back at me and puckered her lips, wanting a kiss. I obliged, of course.

"It's so weird to look at you without the beard," she said. I chuckled.

I washed her from head to toe, sans the ankle. She hadn't had a full bath yet, so there was still dirt from the island, and she said it felt like Heaven. I even helped her shave her legs, and she moaned at the feeling of having them bare.

Her hands, holding mine, drifted to her midsection and we both held the budding child in her womb.

"We were saved just in time," she whispered. I didn't respond, thinking about what would have happened had we not been saved. She could have had complications with the pregnancy, and she wouldn't have gotten the help required. The baby's life and Bella's could have been up in the air, and the thought terrified me. I buried my face in her wet hair and agreed with her.

"I would do anything for the two of you. It's so strange…not knowing someone and already loving him," I said.

"Or her," Bella corrected me.

"Or her," I laughed.

"What do you want? Or have you not really thought about it?" she asked me.

"Oh, Bella, I've thought about it, believe me, I've thought of everything already."

"Really? And what about names? Have any suggestions yet?"

"Yes," I lied.

"You're lying."

"Sorry."

"I want a girl."

"I want a girl, too."

"You hear that, baby?" Bella said to her stomach. "Can you grow a vagina for Mommy and Daddy?"

I gave Bella a look, and we both burst in hysterics.

A/N: So, it's Stranded's anniversary! Happy first birthday to my special baby! Also, I've started a few new fics, but I won't put them up until I have five chapters written. I will be continuing _Perfect Enemy_, so yall might want to check that one out, too.

I think this story has about five/six chaps to go. Kind of saddening, really.

So tell me how you liked the chapter! REVIEW PLEASE!


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I am so sorry. College is hard. Don't do it. Find a very rich man and marry him so you can read and write fanfiction whenever you want!

Chapter Twenty Two

Edward

"Edward, this isn't necessary," Bella said loudly, more loudly than need be considering her face was currently right next to my ear.

"Yes, it is. I have to do this properly; I can't believe I forgot!"

We had just finished our bath in the tub, and as soon as I towel dried her from head to toe, I remembered that I wanted to carry over the threshold—or through the threshold, whatever the hell it was—into my house, but I had completely forgotten. So now I had to make up for it. Mrs. Cope had been with us, too, and the act only would have embarrassed her.

I carried Bella out of the bathroom, both of us still naked and damp. We finally smelled decent again, and I couldn't help but sniff her hair. She giggled and slapped my chest, complaining the whole way to my bedroom…the master bedroom.

I dumped Bella on the crisp bedspread and took a step back for a moment to admire the scenery. I looked around my room, the empty, boring chamber bringing back no memories at all, mostly because I'd barely slept in it. The beige curtains still hung lank against the oversized window. The huge television stood across from the king sized bed, a gift from my dad when I first moved in only a year ago. It was unused and simply there for decoration. The clock on the nightstand must have stopped working in my absence, the agitating ticking noise now quiet. The room smelled of Pledge, undoubtedly from Mrs. Cope cleaning it earlier.

Had I really been gone only two months? It felt more like two years.

I looked back at the goddess lying on my bed, watching me take in everything with a small smile. I then remembered that we were both naked and hadn't had sex in days.

Bella must have read my mind. "I want to be the only girl you make love to in this bed. So tell me now if I should burn it," she said seriously. I stayed silent for a dramatically long time, playing with her. She looked horrified and moved to get off the bed.

"Stop, Bella, I'm only picking," I told her, pushing her back down and pinning her body beneath mine. "I have not even _touched _another woman in the whole house." That seemed to calm her, and she puckered her lips. I leaned down and gave her what she wanted, kissing her chastely. "I love you, Bella Swan, and I want to christen every surface in this house with you."

"I wonder what Mrs. Cope will say when she sees our butt prints everywhere when she tries to clean," Bella laughed.

I traced two fingers down Bella's throat, over her stomach, and to folds. She hissed in pleasure, weaving her fingers in my hair. I rubbed circles on her clit, barely letting my finger slip into her opening. I watched her become wet under my touch, satisfied by the beautiful noises coming from her lips. She parted her legs as far as possible, inviting me, sucking me in. I released my own personal Disney World and gripped her hips, aligning us. Bella looked at me, her eyes so full of lust that I thought she would combust.

Now, now, now, my mind chanted, sick of waiting. I teased her with the tip of my head; she groaned and started pulling my hips into hers, forcing me into her. She locked her good leg around my waist to make sure I couldn't get away, and we both sighed in relief when I was fully seated inside of her.

I put my cheek to hers and nibbled on her neck a little as I started to thrust.

_If I could do this every day for the rest of my life…_

This was amazing—I didn't want to say making love to Bella was better here in a bed than it was on the island, but it was certainly more comfortable…and sanitary.

I stopped for a second when I felt myself getting close; I wanted this to last longer than five minutes and I wanted Bella to come first. I picked my head up from her neck and looked at her rosy red face. Her hair was spread out across the pillow, the brown strands shiny and healthier. Her lips were swollen and her eyes shone with want and passion and love.

I wrapped the fingers of my right hand around pieces of her hair, twirling them and tugging gently.

"Why did you stop?" she asked breathlessly. She clenched around me as if to remind me we weren't finished.

I chuckled and kissed her. "It's been a while. I don't want it to end so soon." She nodded in understanding, cupping my jawbones. I started moving again, the skin of our thighs slapping together loudly. Every inch of me that slid into her felt like fire hot ecstasy.

We played like this for a while longer before Bella and I could take no more. I sped up my thrusts and bucked up each time, my dick hitting her g-spot. She let go under me, crying out my name like a siren. Her eyes fluttered as she tried to keep them open. When her orgasm started to fade, mine started, a hurricane coupled with a few tornadoes taking over my body. I buried my face in Bella's neck as my body relaxed and unwound.

Sometime later I put my hand on Bella's stomach, imagining it rounder and stretched. "I can't wait for you to get bigger," I told her happily. I expected a response from her, but when she stayed silent, I looked up and realized she had fallen asleep. I chuckled and lay behind her, conscious of how I moved her ankle. This was the first time we were sleeping together in an actual bed, and we would sleep comfortably all night and wake up with no cramps like we did on the island.

I stared at the ceiling for a long time. So long had Bella and I been denied real shelter; the roof over my head felt strangely unwelcome and out of place.

And the smell…air conditioning mixed with the cleaning materials scent. I missed the salt and humidity. The absence of the sound of the waves crashing against the shore started to drive me insane after an hour of lying in bed, rock still. It was too fucking quiet, and I couldn't see how this didn't bother Bella. She was on medication, however, snoring away.

I groaned, more aggravated than what would be considered normal, and got up for some water, pulling on some boxers. I stared up at the artificial light coming from the lamp in the kitchen, the glare settling on my marble counter. I leaned over it, bringing the plastic cup to my lips and taking a sip.

This was the first chance I had gotten to actually _think _for ten seconds since we had been rescued. I'd been so hurried from place to place and in all the chaos, contemplation had been impossible.

On the island, if I had wanted something, I had to do it myself. As inconvenienced as we were, I still felt immensely proud of myself every time I started a fire or made a whole meal for the two of us. The couch in my living room, the flat screen television, the steel fridge across from me, hell, the whole house—I had not earned any of this! My parents bought me everything and I only helped a bit with the inheritance my grandfather left me when he passed. I had nothing to be proud of but years of college and an internship, and that was probably shot to shit now anyway. It was such an odd feeling, questioning my abilities as a man.

The water tasted so strange on my tongue. I had gotten used to _real _water, not the purified, recycled stuff. I couldn't even put ice in it; it would have been too weird.

_Dear God, I've turned into a hippie._

"Edward?" a groggy voice called from the staircase. I turned to find Bella wrapped in the bedspread, squinting at me. "Why did you leave me?"

"I'm sorry, baby. I couldn't sleep," I said, putting my glass in the sink and walking towards her. "Bella, you're not supposed to put weight on your ankle!" I cringed when I noticed she had neglected to use her crutches.

"I used the railing to get down. And speaking of my ankle, it hurts. A lot. Can I take some more medicine?" she asked.

"Yeah, just stay where you are. I'll go get it." I gave her the pills and another glass of water—leaving out the ice again, secretly hoping Bella would have the same problem as me. It would make me feel more normal.

"The pain woke you up?"

"I don't know. I woke up in the pitch black and I got all confused when I didn't see stars and then I called your name and I rolled over to look for you and it started to hurt. Then I remembered where I was and came looking for you."

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have left your side."

"You said you couldn't sleep? What's wrong?" she asked in a concerned voice.

I merely shrugged. "I think everything's just starting to crash down on me."

Her face crumpled when she saw the look on mine, and I realized how bad it sounded. "No, Bella, I mean the whole 'real world' thing again, not the baby. Definitely not the baby. I am completely, totally happy and sure about the baby," I assured her hurriedly. Her features relaxed and she let out a breath before wrapping her arms around my torso. I squeezed her back and kissed the top of her head. "I miss the sound of the birds constantly chirping and the grasshoppers' noises. And the water, I really miss that sound."

Her hand came around and cupped my jaw. "You would have us go back? Back to the island?"

I stared into her big brown eyes for a moment, considering. "No," I admitted, "It's much safer here. And I could have never fixed your ankle myself." I looked away from her for a second, embarrassed. I should have been stronger than this, able to be happy. Well, I was happy, but there was this black cloud looming over me. "I'll get over it. But I don't think it will happen in one night." She nodded, agreeing with me.

"C'mon, let's go back to bed." I picked up her glass and helped her back up the stairs and into the bed. Sleep came for me eventually, but it wasn't for a while.

My mom—being the crazy, zealous woman that she is—made everyone get an early plane back, one day earlier than they were scheduled to come home. Instead of returning to their house in New Jersey, Emmett and Rosalie would be staying here in Chicago. There was a catch, though; they were staying _at my house._ Normally I would have welcomed visitors; I used to want people to come see my bored, lazy ass. But now that Bella was here, I wanted no one. At least not for a while. I just wanted her, me, a bottle of wine—even if I was the only one drinking it—and endless sex for a whole week. After said week was done, maybe then I could talk visitors, but until then, I was not up for it. Emmett missed me, however, and I just couldn't turn him down. I missed him, too. We had talked every day on the phone before the plane crash. The last time I had spoken to him, he and Rose were trying to get pregnant. I remembered her getting pretty tipsy at the wedding reception, so I highly doubted they were successful.

Alice and Jasper were on their honeymoon, and my mom said they would come stay in Chicago for a week when they got back before returning to France.

Bella's thoughts on my family return were opposite from mine; she couldn't wait to meet them. We planned to leave at seven to get them at the airport. Their plane was scheduled to arrive at eight.

After another ride in my—_our—_bed, and once more on the washer just for the hell of it, Bella and I walked to the garage to head for the airport. I had no driver's license because my wallet had gone caput in the ocean, so I was now driving illegally, but I luckily had another set of keys for my Aston Martin. I wanted Bella to stay home in bed and rest her ankle, but she refused.

"I figured you would have a badass car," Bella said after she sat down. I laughed and put on my seatbelt, turning the car on. "Are you sure you can still drive? It's been forever," she said. I merely laughed again and shifted gears, reversing onto the street.

"Bella, this car…it's like riding a bike to me. You never forget how to ride a bike."

"Yeah, unless you get amnesia."

"Well, I didn't have amnesia. And even if I did, I would still be able to drive this car."

"Edward, this is all hypothetical. And if you had amnesia, you wouldn't remember _anything._"

"I would too."

"Would not."

"Would too!"

"You're just saying that because you don't want to be wrong!"

I shut up for a second. She was right, of course, but I still liked getting under her skin. Feeling the purr of the engine gave me another reason to be happy that we were back and off the island.

"Would too…" I muttered. She huffed and threw her empty water bottle at me.

"Mom," I said, my voice muffled by her shoulder, "You saw me two days ago."

"I don't care. Not having you around again made the bad memories return," my mother said. She was holding me so tight around my neck that I thought my head would pop off.

I patted her on the back and kissed her cheek. "Don't you want to meet Bella?" She instantly pulled away from me and looked around. Bella had been hiding behind me since I waved to Mom, Dad, Emmett, and Rosalie when I noticed them exiting from the hall. Mom had started her power walk towards me, her suitcase and herself, 150 pounds and all.

Mom noticed the beauty standing behind me and put her arms out in welcome, practically grabbing Bella when she didn't move quickly enough. My mom was Alice's size and slightly plump, so Bella had to bend over to hug her back. I smiled at her when she looked at me, her face rumpled from my mother holding on so tight. I hugged my dad and Emmett, giving Rose a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, Bella! Heard a ton about you!" Emmett said, hugging her once my mom let her go. Bella blushed like mad.

"Everyone, this is Bella. Bella, this is my mom, my dad, Emmett and Rosalie." Everyone greeted her politely, and they got their car from the lot and followed us to my house.

After Emmett and Rose set themselves up in one of the extra rooms, we ordered Chinese food, none of us really in the mood to cook. Everyone kept sizing up Bella, probably wondering what it was about her that made me become a one woman man. I hadn't been a whore; I'd only been with four girls before Bella, and that was pretty good considering my age and looks—because let's face it: I am hot. But I hadn't dated either. I couldn't stay with one girl too long. They were all aggravating. And my family knew this, so I couldn't blame them for trying to figure out what it was about Bella. And it wasn't just because I'd been stuck with her. My feelings for her were not going to change just because we were off the island now. And it wasn't because she was bearing my child. I didn't even know the reason she was the one who changed me. She just was, and I wasn't going to question it, and I doubted I would ever figure it out. I just loved everything about her. There wasn't one thing I could pick that would—

"Hey, stop looking at her like that before you get a fucking boner. Geez, Louise," Emmett said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I guessed they'd been plastered on my face.

Sitting down at the table was a nightmare. My mom kept telling Bella about my childhood disasters, and Emmett stole all of our fortune cookies.

"You know, on the island, Edward told me about how one time you dared him to go into this crazy horse's stall," Bella said to Emmett. I winked at her, knowing where she was going with this.

"Oh, yeah! And he actually did it. I remember that. Remember that, Ed? You came out all bruised and crying. I can't believe you actually fucking did it!"

"Emmett!" my mom scowled.

"Sorry," he said.

"Yes, I remember. I also remember you telling me you would give me five bucks if I did it, and you never paid up. So now would be a nice time to rectify that," I told him, holding out my hand.

"Dude, you're not serious."

I kept holding it out. "I'm technically poor now that I have no job or internship. Pay up." He dug in his pocket and fished out a five, muttering, "Cheap ass." Bella laughed.

"Does anyone want some wine? I brought some for the trip and we didn't drink it, and I figured now would be a good time since we're celebrating Edward's, er, return," my dad said, getting up. Everyone nodded, and he went to the car to retrieve it.

"Edward, we'll take care of all your expenses. You can go to the hospital whenever you're ready to start your internship again. I'm sure they wouldn't refuse you, honey," my mom said. I nodded.

My dad poured wine for my mom first, then me, and when he got to Bella, she refused, of course, and he moved on. My mom started in, though.

"Bella, it's 1998 Merlot, you should try it," she said.

"No, really, Mrs. Cullen, I just…I—I don't really like wine," Bella said, looking at me and blushing. Her terrible acting was going to give us away. I just gave my mom a look to make her give up. She gave me a look back.

I knew what she was thinking; I had told her about our drinking wine on the island, so she knew Bella was lying to her. She cocked an eyebrow at me. I hoped she wouldn't look more into it than that. Damn perceptive woman. She let it go, though, when I looked away, cowering from her gaze.

They eventually left, and Emmett and Rose retreated to their room. I picked up all the dishes and watched Bella hobble up the stairs on her crutches. She was already asleep when I got upstairs, so I took a quick shower and went right to sleep next to her.

It was easier to sleep than the night before, but I still wished I could hear the ocean.

A/N: Next chapter will be up soon. I have a month off now, so I'll be busy writing. Also, my new story is up. It's called No Such Thing as Love, and it's getting pretty good attention right now, but it can always use more! Thank you for reading and please review!


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: You all probably think I suck, but I have been writing! I started another story called Until the End, and it's about the Twilight gang and zombies. It's a comedy/angst (I know, you never find those two themes together). And of course, I have No Such Thing as Love up. Please give them a shot.**

**Oh, and add me on Twitter! Bethanie818**

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Chapter Twenty Three

Bella

Edward was still having trouble sleeping a week after we had gotten to his house, so I finally suggested we get a noisemaker that played the sound of the ocean. Edward nearly threw a fit, saying it was gay and that he would get over it eventually. I lied and said that it would help me sleep better, too, knowing that he would do anything to make me happy. It worked, and he'd been sleeping like a baby ever since.

The next week was very strange. It was weird to think that if I wasn't pregnant, I would have been on my period. I kept waiting for it, thinking my luck was about to run out and I was going to lose the baby, but it thankfully never came. Edward even bought me a shit ton of new underwear and clothes, mostly sexy lingerie. I didn't know who he was helping more, me or himself, and when I counted it up, I realized he'd bought more underwear than actual clothes. And worst of all, he had "forgotten" to buy me pajamas.

Edward was so much fun to live with. Sometimes it was tiring because he was childish, and he always ruined my cooking for fun. I'd burned five meals in the first week because he would whisk me away from the stove for another round in the bedroom. Then I would make him clean the mess before taking me to a restaurant. I was hungry, and as much as he thought sex would come first, he was wrong. Edward's family came often, almost every day. I knew he was getting aggravated; I wanted to say something about their popping in and out twenty four/seven, but they were his family, and they missed him. It also had a little to do with his mom—she slightly scared me. I called my parents every day and we even set up webcams so we could see each other.

We tried to go places together once I actually had warm enough clothes. It was kind of chaotic, though; people came up to us at the grocery store each time we went and asked if we were the two on the news that had been rescued. We had simply nodded and tried to avoid more conversation. Too many people in one place drove each of us crazy. We talked about the island between each other, but conversation of how we ended up there was taboo and off limits.

It turned out that more people were interested in our story. We weren't on the news anymore but we'd gotten a few calls over the month from agents asking us to be on their news shows. The third call was from a man named Tim who worked for the Greta Show. Greta Yates was the host of the Greta Show. It had become very popular over the last five years. Greta was an older woman who came from a famous family. Her parents had owned many charities that were passed on to Greta, and she was loved by many. She'd started her show and interviewed celebrities and the like. And she wanted to interview Edward and me.

The call came while we were picking up takeout Chinese food. Tim left a voice recording with the number to call back in case we wanted to do the show, but it was late when we got home and didn't check the answering machine until the next morning.

"What do you think? Should we do it?"

Edward scratched his chin and stared at the phone number for a few moments. I could hear his nails running across his stubble. "I don't see why not. Only if you're okay with it," he said, smiling.

I smiled back. "We're going to be on TV?" I asked, not sure whether I was excited or scared of the possibility of being in front of so many people at one time.

"When do you want to call them back?" he asked me.

"How about you call Tim later today?" I suggested. "It's still so early."

"I will, Baby. The world's going to know our story."

I half grimaced, half smiled at him and got up to make breakfast.

"I hope you like eggs sunny side up," I called back to him.

"I'll show you what I like sunny side up!" he said, running over to me and gently tackling me on the bed.

* * *

Later, Edward called the man named Tim to tell him that we were in fact interested in being on the show. Edward, using his brand new iPhone, put Tim on speakerphone once he answered.

"Hi, uh, this is Edward Cullen. You called yesterday..."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Cullen." Tim had a voice like Iago on Aladdin. I held in a chuckle and tried to pay attention to what he was saying. "I guess that since you're calling, that means you're interested in being on the show?"

"Yeah, Bella and I decided we would like to do it."

"Well, that's great! Wait, did you say you and Bella? Did you contact her?"

Edward and I laughed lightly. "We're living together," I said, leaning in just in case he couldn't hear me.

"So you are together? I'd seen you two on television, and I thought perhaps it was true, but I didn't want to assume anything."

"Yeah, we're together," Edward said, putting an arm around my waist.

"How convenient for me that I don't have to scrounge for a contact number for Bella now!" Tim laughed. "Okay, so, since you want to do the show, what we normally do is schedule interviews a month beforehand. I think that would be the perfect time for you to get more used to being home again, and this way we get a little distance in time between now and then for you to make arrangements to fly to LA. I hope this isn't all too overwhelming."

"Overwhelming? Ha!" Edward said, winking at me.

"I don't think anything is going to surprise us for a long time," I said. Tim chuckled, too, and then asked Edward for his email so he could send him the information. He booked us plane tickets to California a week before the date of the interview. We were going to meet Tim once we arrived and he would explain everything in more detail the night before the interview over dinner.

"Looks like we're getting on a plane again," Edward said, studying my face for a reaction.

I didn't give him one, although inside I was terrified. "Yep." He cocked an eyebrow.

"We met on a plane. Doesn't that sound romantic?" I asked. Edward burst out laughing.

He wiped a tear from his eye before continuing. "So you're not scared?"

I looked at him for a second before getting up from my side of the couch and sitting down in his lap. I kissed his cheek. "I'm so afraid, you have no idea."

"Then we won't go. I'll call Tim tomorrow and tell him we changed our minds."

"No. Edward…" I trailed off. "Edward, if I don't do this now, I never will. Flying really does terrify me. But if I wait and wait to fly again, that fear is only going to build up, and then I'll never go anywhere again. Besides, we flew here not long ago. I survived then, didn't I?

"I want to go places with you. I want to see the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral. I want to bring our little boy or girl to Disney World someday. And...I want to go somewhere with you for a honeymoon. Somewhere with water and sand and sun," I admitted to him quietly, the sound of my heart beating louder than my voice. "I can't live in fear." Edward gave me a sweet smile and kissed my cheek softly.

"You're so much braver than I am, Love. I'm proud of you."

I waited, expecting him to call me out on practically begging him to marry me. I wasn't going to lie; I _really _wanted to get married. And soon, because I was now almost a month and two weeks pregnant. I wanted to fit in my wedding dress. He didn't comment on it, though. I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

Edward's family came over for dinner as had become the usual. When Emmett and Rosalie left, it was just us and his parents, but they had flown back in for a week because of Thanksgiving in a few days. Alice and Jasper were supposed to be back from their honeymoon by now, but they'd decided to stay a bit longer and just come when they wanted to. Edward had been talking to her on the phone every night. I cooked spaghetti, and we told them about the interview just as Carlisle brought out dessert. Esme wasn't sure about us going. She thought it wouldn't be healthy for us right now. Emmett, on the other hand, thought the idea was fantastic. He couldn't wait to see his brother on television.

"Edward, I just don't think you should do it. You can't even spend twenty minutes in the grocery store because all the people freak you out," Esme said. "And you don't need to be getting on any more planes!"

"Ma, Bella and I discussed this, and we decided it would be okay."

"I think it will be good for your recovery, actually, facing your fear straight on," Carlisle voiced.

"Yeah, and you'll be on TV. I would love to be on TV! You know, I bet the next show to call you will be _I Shouldn't Be Alive_. You should totally go on that, too," Emmett said.

"I just wish I would have my cast off in time, but I won't," I said. "I'll be clunking on stage."

Edward looked at me sadly and said, "I can always carry you." I shook my head.

"Sorry, Baby, not gonna happen."

I caught Edward's mother looking at us with a beautiful, crooked grin. She loved when Edward publicly displayed his affection for me, possibly more than I did.

* * *

Thanksgiving was done at Edward's parents' house a few days later. So far, I hadn't seen any changes in my body from the pregnancy, no vomiting, no breast aching. I hoped it would stay that way.

The turkey wasn't ready in time before the side dishes, and everyone was starving, so we just decided to eat a few things—the deviled eggs were my favorite, and I think I ate half of them all by myself—before the turkey would finish. Once it finally was out the slow cooker, Esme and Edward carried it to the table. Once it was set down right in front of me, I smelled it: hot, steamy, turkey scent perfumed the air. The smell made me instantly nauseous, even though I normally loved turkey. I held in my breath for a second, but then I thought about the little one growing inside of me, the one who needed oxygen. I knew next to nothing about children and pregnancy, and I imagined my little tadpole baby gasping for air because I was horrible and more worried about throwing up in front of Edward's family. I took another breath.

"Bella, are you okay?" Edward asked, immediately noticing there was something wrong with me. I looked at him frantically before taking another breath.

I felt the bile starting to come up and rushed to the closest bathroom, making it just in time. But I hadn't had a chance to close the door, so everyone heard me expelling the deviled eggs and water I had consumed. I felt Edward's hands on my neck, pulling back my hair. He rubbed my back but said nothing as I continued to vomit. When it was finally over, Edward fetched me a wet towel and started washing my face. Normally, I wouldn't let him anywhere near me in a case like this, but I felt a bit weak and his hands were so cool and nice on my hot skin.

"Are you okay, Love? We can leave if you want," he said. I shook my head.

"It's Thanksgiving, I don't want to leave."

"Okay. We moved the turkey back to the kitchen."

My gaze met his, and I chuckled. "They probably all know now."

"Yeah, except Emmett. Dumber than a doornail sometimes, I swear."

I reached my arms out to him. He helped me up, and once I was standing I felt a little better. The smell was out of my system, and I tried not to think about it, knowing it would make me sick again. Edward kissed my forehead. "I love you."

"Not as much as I love you," I said.

When we went back in, I vaguely heard Esme telling everyone that if they wanted turkey, they'd have to eat it in the kitchen. A fan had been set up near the table, blowing the scent outside. Esme obviously really wanted us to stay.

* * *

Three weeks later, we were on the plane to California. It wasn't terrible; Edward only clutched onto me and the seat about ten times. We had our own driver that Tim assigned to bring us wherever we wanted over the week we were here. He drove us to the hotel we would be staying in and gave Edward his number so we could call whenever we wanted a ride.

The hotel was gorgeous. Our room was on the ninth floor, and we had a beautiful balcony that overlooked the city. The pillars that held the roof above the balcony were made of marble, and the railing was white, just like the rest of the room. The bed was pure white with deep purple pillows, the color of royalty. We spent the rest of the day on the balcony, looking out at the city.

"I never thought I'd see something like this," I started, running my fingers over the railing. Edward came behind me and wrapped his arms around my torso.

"You mean again?" he asked.

"No. I'd never seen anything like this before the island. And with the island, I certainly thought I never would." He kissed my neck.

"Which sight do you enjoy more?" I knew what he was talking about; the view of the sea from the island versus the city from this balcony. I'd told him again and again how the ocean had been the most beautiful thing I'd ever witnessed.

"The island definitely comes in first."

"Yeah? Why is that?"

I waited for a few seconds, leaning my head back against his chest. "Because I was looking at the ocean when I realized I was in love with you." He was silent for a moment before turning me around and kissing me.

He picked me up gently and carried me to the king sized bed in the middle of the room. He started removing my clothes and kissing me from my throat and down. Once he reached my stomach, I moved my hand to the nightstand and turned on the noisemaker. The light sound of the ocean took over the room, and Edward made love to me until we were both too exhausted for more.

* * *

I wore a white dress pants with a midnight blue blouse, paired with a white cardigan and blue ballet flats. I'd pulled my hair half up and curled the ends with an iron I borrowed from Esme. She had eventually warmed up to the idea that we were going to be on TV. Edward's family hadn't been allowed to come with us and sit in the crowd when we asked, so they were at home watching us on their flat screen.

I stood in the mirror, looking at myself. Edward was in the bathroom, brushing his hair.

"Do these pants look good on me, Edward?"

"Hmmm, I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"You know what would look better on you?"

"What?"

"Me." He obnoxiously pointed his two thumbs at himself and smiled sexily. I rolled my eyes and smiled.

The driver picked us up at eight and drove us to the studio, where we were showed around and pushed into chairs for people to do our 'makeup,' the kind that is completely caked on that no one can tell you're wearing. We had had dinner with Tim the night before, who had explained to us everything in detail. He came up to us as we were waiting in the chairs.

"Are you guys nervous?" he asked.

"Yes," I said at the same time Edward said, "No."

"Well, you're going to be fine. You don't _have _to answer every question. If one makes you uncomfortable, just say you don't want to answer it, and Greta will understand."

We were standing outside the room behind the glass that separated us from Greta. We couldn't see anything, but we heard her talking to the crowd.

"We have a very special duo tonight who survived the impossible. Please welcome Bella and Edward," she said.

"Okay, go," a man with a walkie talkie said, pushing us out.

We walked out—well, I clunked—with me in front of Edward. I was admittedly very nervous, but I was keeping it down. Edward was as cool as could be, especially dashing in his gray Calvin Klein button down and dark wash jeans. His hair was swept to the side, just a little messy because it was so long now. I didn't know how he couldn't be bothered by all the lights and people and cameras everywhere. I realized he probably was and was just hiding it from me. We waved to the crowd as they clapped and both shook Greta's hand before sitting on a small, off white loveseat.

"So first I want to know how you two have been doing. Was it hard to readjust to life here?"

Edward and I looked at each other. He gave me a look that let me know he would answer first. I didn't even know if I could talk.

"Um, it was really hard the first two weeks. It's still kind of hard, but not to the point where I lose my mind," Edward told her.

"What makes it so hard? Like what's the biggest problem?"

"The people," I spoke up. Edward nodded. "I think we got so used to being around only each other that now when we're around a bunch of strangers, it's…"

"Crazy," Edward finished for me.

"So I know that you, Edward, were the one who saved Bella. Would you mind telling us what you remember happening once you realized the plane was going down?"

Edward shifted, and I could tell he was remembering. He looked uncomfortable but answered her question anyway.

"I, uh, I remember seeing Bella coming down the aisle. I was sitting in the back and her seat was towards the middle, and she was coming to the back to go to the restroom."

"Oh, so you weren't sitting together?" Greta interrupted, surprised.

"No."

"Did you two know each other at all?"

"Nope. So then when I saw her, I thought that…" he trailed off and looked at me. I urged him to go on, assuring him that I was fine with whatever he said. "I thought she was beautiful, and she fell down. I helped her up and she just ran to the bathroom. And when she got out, I was going to help her back to her seat, but then the plane lurched. I remember we were on the ground, and I held onto her and onto a seat and there were people screaming and the alarms had gone off. I knew we were falling, and Bella passed out. Some people were…sucked out when one of the wings was ripped off."

I looked away from Edward as he continued, feeling tears building in my eyes. I remembered the people screaming and their bodies flying out. I was glad I had passed out before the rest. I looked out at the crowd before us. Edward had their attention; I could even see a few of them crying. Greta's eyes looked sad as she watched Edward.

"We hit the water, and since the wing was ripped off, there was a gash that I saw we could fit through. It happened so fast. I think we were lucky because we didn't have seatbelts on, and we were towards the back.

"Did you think about saving anyone else, did you not have time?" Greta asked.

Edward contemplated for a second. "I don't know. I didn't really think of saving anyone else, but even if I had, I already had Bella's dead weight, and swimming in the water was tough. Once I reached the surface, I was sure more people were going to come up, too. I waited…but no one came. Two hundred people…and we were the only ones who…" He ran his hands through his hair.

Greta switched focus to me. "So, Bella, do you remember any of it?"

I shrugged and wiped a tear from my eye. "It's just like Edward said. I remember the people screaming and us hitting the floor. I couldn't breathe. And I just went black. I think that's why more people didn't survive; they all passed out, too."

"That must have been so strange. One second you're getting a handsome man's attention and the next you're fighting for your life," Greta said.

"He's my hero," I said, turning to Edward. He blushed.

"So how long was it you were in the water?" she asked.

"I swam to an air bag that had been ripped off, and I set us both on it. I just went blank after that, too. I was so exhausted, and I think my mind just needed a break. Bella woke me up later, and we just drifted for a while."

"Remember we played a game?" I asked him.

He laughed. "Yeah, we played this game where you say the first thing that pops into your head. We just tried to pass the time, and hoped for a boat to come."

"He was much more optimistic that me," I said.

"I'm guessing a boat never came?" Greta said.

"No."

"And the island? How long before you found it?"

Edward rumpled his face, thinking. "I think it was about five or six hours until we finally caught sight of the island. And then we swam to it and just slept."

"How was the situation between the two of you? Did you build a close relationship over the two months you were there? Surely you had to depend on each other." We both laughed nervously. The people in the crowd must have realized why we were laughing, and they started in, too.

"She hated me," Edward said, pointing at me. There was more laughter as I rolled my eyes.

"I didn't hate him. He was incredibly immature and he picked on me every chance he got."

"You hated me. Admit it." Greta laughed.

"Okay, maybe just a little bit. But I like you now." Some women hollered and wolf whistled. I slapped my hand to my face.

We went to the first commercial, and then Greta asked a few more questions. We were growing more comfortable, and there were only a few questions that set us on edge.

"I'm sure it was boring, sitting around on a deserted island. What did you guys do for fun?"

Edward and I went silent and looked at each other. I couldn't help but grin, thinking about all our sexy time. The crowd laughed again, and I was sure everyone at home watching us on their televisions was laughing, too.

"Trust me, it was not at all boring," Edward said.

She finally asked us whether we were together, which we knew was coming. She already knew the answer, but others were insanely curious.

"Yes, we're together," I started. Then I figured I'd be a little funny. "Sorry, ladies." There was a collective 'Awwwwe'.

"Well, doesn't that sound like something out of a fairy tale?" Greta boomed out, shaking her graying blond hair.

Her last question was possibly the hardest to answer only because it was something we thought about every minute of every day.

"Was the island beautiful? It's a very small one; nothing big could possibly be built on it."

"It was the most beautiful place I'd ever seen. And the ocean…" I said.

"When we were rescued and started flying away, I looked back and stared at it. I remember wondering if I would ever see such a beautiful place again," Edward said.

"Do you wish that you could go back?"

Edward swallowed. "Not permanently. I would definitely love to go back, though."

"What about you, Bella? Do you see yourself ever returning?" she asked me.

"Every day."

* * *

At the very end, Greta thanked us for being on the show and we thanked her for having us. We left the stage and returned to the back to give back our microphones. Tim came give us a hug and wished us a safe trip.

We walked out of the studio hand in hand towards the car.

"I feel like a celebrity," Edward said.

"Celebrities have fans, Edward."

"Are you saying I don't have any fans?"

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "If you mean all those women in that studio—"

"No, Baby, I mean you. Aren't you my biggest fan?"

I smirked. "I'd better be your _only _fan."

"Why her?" a strange voice came from behind us.

We turned around and saw a man standing four feet behind us, giving us both a deadly glare. "I'm sorry?" Edward asked.

The man was about 5'11" with blond hair and cold blue eyes. He had dark circles under them as if he hadn't slept in a long, long time, and he was very thin.

"Why her?" His voice shook with unbridled anger. "Why did you have to save her?"

"I—I," Edward stuttered. "Excuse me?"

"I've been waiting for the day I saw you. My wife was on that plane. And my unborn child, you bastard! Why couldn't you save her?" the man yelled. He rushed toward us. Edward put an arm in front of me, pushing me behind him. His other hand went square in the man's chest, pushing him away from us.

"Watch it, man. I'm sorry for your loss, but it's not my fault," Edward said calmly, but I could hear the underlying rage in his voice.

The man didn't stop, though. "You should have saved her! You should have saved my wife!" he yelled over and over again, coming at Edward. I backed up, in shock. Edward's jaw had dropped in disbelief. He kept pushing the man away from us until he eventually had enough and gripped the front of his shirt.

"Look, I'm sorry! If I could have saved more people on that plane, I would have! But you and I both know that there is nothing that anyone can do now!" Edward let go of him. Once he caught his footage, the man raised an arm and elbowed Edward in the mouth. Edward stood there completely stunned for a moment before the man struck again. But this time, Edward was ready. He got an arm around the man's neck and pulled him into a headlock. I didn't see any more because my feet unconsciously started moving to find help. Our driver noticed the commotion and ran to them right away, pulling the man away from Edward and wrapping his arms around his biceps and chest so he couldn't move.

I noticed the man had a nasty cut near his eyebrow, and his jawbone was already bruising. Edward's lip was bleeding pretty badly. I went to him and gripped him tightly. "That was so scary," I whispered.

Our bodyguard/driver dropped the man onto the ground and told him to scram. He listened, but not before throwing us another glare.

After a silent ride back to the hotel, Edward sat next to me on the bed.

"Are you alright?" he asked. My face crumpled with sobs as I nodded.

"I will be." Edward pulled me into his lap and ran his hands through my hair.

"It's okay, Baby. We won't have to deal with him again."

"It's not that, Edward. He had a wife and a baby. An innocent little child who deserved to be born, just like ours." I gripped my abdomen and cried into his chest.

"Bella, it's not our fault. You have to know that."

"I know. It's just so unfair. And I hate what he did to you." I traced the scar on his bottom lip and leaned in to kiss it softly, not caring whether I got tears on my face. "I think I would probably go insane, too, if I lost the two of you."

"You're right," Edward said. "You look so tired. How are you feeling physically?" he asked.

"I'm drained."

"Let's take a little nap, and then hopefully we can go eat at that little bistro down the street. Would you like to do that?"

I smiled at his attempt to cheer me up. "Yes."

Edward closed the white curtains and kissed me chastely before turning on the noise maker and crawling in beside me.

"I knew that thing would help you," I said sleepily, talking about the noisemaker.

"I still think it's stupid," he muttered, but I caught a little smile creep onto his face.

"I love you, Edward Cullen."

"And I love you, Bella Cullen."

I knew he probably wasn't coherent enough to know what he was saying, but the words still brought a flutter in my stomach.

Oh, yeah. He wanted to marry me.

* * *

**A/N: Ahhh, sweet fluff and a bit of angst. Listen, guys, James (aka 'the man') will not be a part of this story. I just wanted to clear that up in case some people thought he was going to hunt down B and E and kill them or something. No, he's going bye bye after next chapter. And I think you guys are going to LOVE the next chapter. It's the first doctor visit and other stuff that I'm just not going to tell you. But if you review, I will give you a preview of it! And speaking of, I don't have any children nor do I hang around any. So I had to do a shit ton of research for this story. The article I read said a woman can have morning sickness as early as her first month. So if that's wrong, well, I'm sorry. And did you guys notice I based Greta off of Oprah? I didn't want to use her name just in case I'd get in trouble. Also, Oprah's studio is in Chicago, but I wanted this to be in LA.**

**Check out my other stories!**

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	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I had school, spine surgery, and then I lost my muse. Please don't kill me.**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Edward**

"Hello?" my mother's voice spilled out of the receiver of my iPhone.

"Hi, mom. How did you like my celebrity debut?" I asked, chuckling.

"Oh, Edward, I just knew you were born to be a star! What with that beautiful smile you inherited from the most gorgeous woman ever known, there was no doubt that you would be famous someday!" she joked in a silly voice.

"Way to be modest, Momma," I laughed.

She giggled. "Really, Edward, you two were amazing. And Bella was positively glowing! You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say she was—"

"Mom," I interrupted her, "I need your help with something." I could faintly hear her growl of frustration and laughed quietly. She wasn't getting the information she wanted from me just yet.

"What is it?" she snapped.

"Mom, c'mon, don't be like that. In a few minutes I'm going to send you some pictures via text message and I want you to tell me which one you like the most."

A moment of awkward silence and then, "What kind of pictures, son?" I laughed at her suspicious tone.

"You'll see. You know how to respond to a text message, don't you?"

"Yes, Edward! I'm not _that _old!" she said exasperatedly.

"Of course not, Mom. Just make sure you have your phone next to you within the next thirty minutes."

"Bye, Edward. I love you."

"Love you, too." I pressed the END button and continued on my way.

It was only eight in the morning, and I'd left a sleeping Bella with a note in case she woke up before I returned, notifying her that I'd gone out to get us breakfast. It was only a half-lie; I fully intended on picking up breakfast…on my way back.

The night before, after Bella's and my nap, we walked down to the little bistro down the road and had a nice dinner. Sometime between the Thai ribs and the cheesecake, a jewelry store across the street caught my eye. I couldn't recall the name of it, and I never drew it to Bella's attention, but the glittering in the window gave me an idea.

I knew I was going to marry Bella someday, and I knew she would probably want to have a wedding after the baby was born, but what better time to propose than now? We could stay engaged for a while—that was, if she said yes. This was the perfect place to propose, and despite the incident after the interview, we were having a fantastic time.

Voyage Airlines desperately wanted to avoid being sued by Bella and me. From what I'd heard, the airline had already been sued by many distraught families. So to keep us quiet, we got a call with a colossal sum of money as an offer not long after we settled in at home. I knew that we could get much more than that, but Bella and I figured there was no point wasting money to get a lawyer just so we could get a bunch of money from people who weren't fully to blame for our misfortunes. And we honestly just wanted to put the bad memories behind us. Fighting the airline for payment wouldn't accomplish that. Besides, they gave us a big check anyway. And I was using a bit of it to buy Bella an engagement ring.

When I finally reached the jewelry shop and opened the glass door, I was met with an overwhelming sight of sparkle.

_Oh, shit, _I thought. I knew this would happen, which was why I had contacted my mom beforehand. How I was going to get to the point of texting her three pictures of rings, I had no idea.

I heard a light laugh. "You sure look bewildered!" One of the workers said.

"You have no idea," I replied, turning to face the saleswoman. Her eyes widened comically.

"Oh my God, you're the guy who was stranded! I watched you on Greta yesterday!" she said before slapping a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry!"

I shook my head. "It's fine." She exhaled in relief that I wasn't angry.

"So can I help you with anything? Looking for something in particular?" she asked.

I felt my cheeks redden and ran my hand through my hair awkwardly. "Yeah, I was looking for an engagement ring…for Bella," I said, figuring that since she had watched the show, she'd know who Bella was.

"Oh, well, you've definitely come to the right place!"

I was dragged just about everywhere in the store, and in less than ten minutes I must have been shown over thirty diamond engagement rings. I felt like I learned more in those ten minutes than I had in the last twenty odd years of my life. And who knew that the difference between silver and gold was such a big deal? I thought the only thing that mattered was the diamonds!

Finally, a half hour and stigmatism later, I picked out ten favorites and told two of the workers—all of the salespeople had gathered around when they learned who I was—to pick out their favorite from the ten. Holly, the woman who had greeted me at the door, picked out a silver-banded ring that had three large square diamonds in the middle and more little ones on the sides. Harold picked a gold-banded one that had one _very _big circular diamond in the center with nothing on the sides. "Simple yet elegant," he had said. My favorite was the one with the large teardrop diamond in the middle. Its silver band spread into V's on the sides.

I took a picture of all three and sent them to my mom with the words "pick one"; she would know what Bella would want most. I waited a minute for her response, curious to see what she would say since this was all a surprise to her.

She didn't disappoint.

"_EDWARD! OMG OMG OMG!" _she wrote.

I teasingly replied, _"Mother, please just pick one. I don't have all day."_

"_Well fine, you little smartass. I think Bella would love the first one you sent me."_

"_Thank you, Mom. Love you."_

"_YOU HAD BETTER CALL ME LATER!"_

I purchased the one she picked out and quickly headed to the nearest bakery so that Bella wouldn't think I was lying about getting breakfast. The ring was safely tucked into my right pocket, and I could have sworn it weighed me down.

I picked up doughnuts for the two of us with a coffee for me and hot chocolate for Bella. There was lightness in my stride that I hadn't felt in a long time, a happiness that made me feel like a silly woman who had just met her favorite movie star. I even caught myself humming wedding tunes while walking back.

_I'm having a baby, I'm getting married, I'm gonna get laid every night for the rest of my life by a beautiful woman… _My giddy thoughts were endless.

Once outside our hotel suite, I picked up the complimentary newspaper that had been laid on the floor for us and opened the door, calling Bella's name before setting breakfast down and marching into the bedroom. Bella lay sprawled out on the bed, snoring away. I chuckled at the sight before jumping onto the bed and waking her up.

"Mmm, you little shit, let me sleep," she groaned.

"No! No more sleeping; it's already two in the afternoon, lazy ass," I joked with her.

"Two?" She immediately shot up and looked at the clock which clearly read 9:13 a.m. She threw me a dirty look before lying back down forcefully and closing her eyes, turning away from me.

"Bellaaaa," I whined and lay down next to her. "Stay up with me. I brought breakfast," I said persuasively, smiling when I heard her giggle. I turned her over to face me again and traced her face with my fingertips. "Kissy kissy?"

She rolled her eyes. "Only you, Edward Cullen, can make that saying without making me question your sexuality," she said.

"Yeah, whatever," I said, pinning her down and kissing her.

Bella pulled away faster than I would have liked, and I whined in disapproval.

"I am hungry, so quit your groaning and serve me," she demanded.

Huffing, I stood up and obliged her. "Lucky I love you…" I mumbled.

We sat at the island in the kitchen and talked about scheduling Bella's first OB/GYN appointment with the doctor that had been recommended to us. Bella chewed her nail, eyeing the back of the local newspaper which held pictures of us on Greta's show the previous day. She picked it up and started to turn it over.

"Ugh, I'm so glad we didn't make the front page. Local news has more important things to—ahh!" She dropped the newspaper frantically, immediately looking up at me.

"What?" I asked worriedly, grabbing the discarded paper and looking at the front cover. My jaw dropped in disbelief.

In the top right corner was the man from the previous day, the one who had threatened us. My fingers unconsciously drifted to my busted bottom lip, proof of our nasty encounter. I looked at the headline.

"LOS ANGELES: Local man found dead in home. Suicide?"

I quickly read over the article, wondering if Bella had seen the headline. Probably not, I thought. She was probably just surprised to recognize him in the picture.

I read that he was found in his apartment at six this morning after a loud gunshot had woken a neighbor. The neighbor called the landowner, who rushed upstairs to see just what was going on and found the man dead on the ground, a bullet in his chest right where his heart was. An interview with the neighbor read that the man had been very depressed since the death of his wife in the airplane crash, which led police to think it was a suicide. His name was James Rogers.

"He killed himself?" I asked in disbelief. Bella's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. I looked back at the picture of the man who had terrorized us not twenty four hours earlier. There was no mistaking that it was him, but in the picture, he looked much more healthy and happy than he had the day before. The picture was obviously older.

Bella gripped my bicep and leaned her forehead against my shoulder. "This is so wrong, Edward."

Her sad voice angered me. _He _angered me. Even in death, this James man would not leave us alone. And now he'd gone and depressed my girl. Well, not today; I was planning on proposing later, and this ordeal was _not _going to ruin it!

I callously threw the newspaper into the garbage and took Bella into my arms, stroking her hair. "He's with his family now, just the way he wanted it. Let's not stress over this, please," I told her. She looked up at me with a sad smile and nodded.

"More doughnuts?"

"I can't wait to go home," Bella muttered, taking another bite of her Italian pasta. She'd eaten more than me already, and I was full fifteen minutes earlier. It was astonishing, really.

"Why is that?" I asked, eyeing her empty plate that she was practically licking clean. She had even eaten the bread, and no one _ever _eats the bread.

"These people; I feel like they're all staring at me and whispering things about me, especially the women. They all say, 'She's not good enough for him, she's not even pretty.' And then they call me a whore and they stare at you for another ten minutes, begging you with their eyes to notice them." She took a sip of her drink while I sat there, stunned.

I subtly tried to look around the restaurant to see if she was right, but could see no one looking at us. Crazy, low self-esteemed, pregnant woman.

"I don't think people say that, Baby," I said seriously.

She cocked an eyebrow at me. "Yes, they do, trust me. Are you gonna eat those?" she asked, pointing at my sautéed mushrooms with her fork. I suppressed a snort before shaking my head. She automatically attacked them with her utensil-turned-weapon.

A waiter came and refilled our drinks before asking if we wanted any dessert.

"No thank—"

"The chocolate mousse, please," Bella said, cutting me off.

"Both of you?" the waiter asked, looking at me.

"Sure," I said, figuring I could just give it to her. The waiter walked off, and I looked down to the mountain of plates, and then to Bella, who belched quietly.

"Excuse me," she giggled before gazing longingly at what was left of my steak. "Wow, Edward. Is something wrong? You need to eat…you're going to need that energy later," Bella said before winking at me.

"I won't have any problem with my…_stamina._ It's you that needs to keep up with me, little girl." And indeed, tonight would be a great night. The velvet box burning a hole in my pocket was perfect proof of that.

"Well, in that case…" she grabbed the steak off my plate and brought it to hers.

She could eat all she wanted…I just wished she would hurry up.

Finally, what felt like hours later, we got back to the hotel. I told Bella she should go put on a sweater, and we would spend some time on the balcony for a while and watch the city lights.

Dear God, how the hell am I going to ask? I thought. I had memorized everything I was going to say, and now, _poof!_ It had completely vanished from my brain. I suddenly reminded myself of Harry Potter when he asked Cho Chang to the Yule Ball, stuttering and spitting out his words so much that she couldn't even understand him.

And then to top it off, she had said no. And then she went to the Yule Ball with that complete loser Hufflepuff, Cedric Diggory.

Poor Harry…

Poor me.

I walked out onto the balcony and leaned my forearms against the railing. For November, it was surprisingly only a bit cool. It was the perfect weather for the perfect night. I slipped the velvet case out of my pocket and popped it open before setting it on the railing and looking down upon it. I thought of the string-ring on Bella's finger, the one I had made out of a piece of my torn jeans on the island. She still wore it, just like she promised. How much the ring she wore now paled in comparison to this one? I doubted it would be much different to Bella. She would probably wear both; neither would be more special in her mind.

Smiling, I walked back into the room just as she walked out of the bathroom.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked me happily, walking toward the balcony door. I shrugged quietly and leaned against the wall, following her with my eyes as she passed me and walked outside.

I heard her gasp when she noticed the ring sitting on the railing. She delicately took it into her hands and turned around to face me, her face full of excitement and her eyes wide with disbelief even though she had to know this was coming.

Not moving from my stance against the wall, I cocked my head to the side and gave her that smile I knew she found irresistible.

"Marry me, Bella?"

She let out a sound that was half sob, half laughter. "Yes! Of course!" she said. She came at me and threw her arms around my head, running her fingers through my hair roughly. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed every inch of her neck that I could reach.

I pulled away and kissed her lips tenderly before taking the ring from her hand. I took it out of the box and carefully slid it onto her left ring finger, right next to the makeshift ring I had given her what felt like so long ago. It looked beautiful against her pale skin, bathed in moonlight much like the first time we'd ever made love on the island.

"I love you," I told her truthfully, grazing her face with my fingertips. Her eyes were filled with tears of happiness, the only kind of tears I ever wanted to see her cry.

"And I love you," she replied.

I took both her hands in mine and gestured backwards to the bed suggestively, and she followed my lead. We left the balcony door open, the city lights pouring into the room.

How different this time was from our first time.

**A/N: Sorry it was so short. There's just wasn't much I could do with this chapter. It's the last real chapter…I'll have an epilogue, of course. I want to post it on the 12****th**** because that will be Stranded's 2 year anniversary, and I think it would just be so sweet! But if I'm overwhelmed with reviews, I may put it sooner. *wink wink*** **I know I said I would include a doctor visit in this chapter, but I'm just not going to write that. It didn't feel right, which means it probably would have ended in a disaster anyway.**

**Please review!**

**And add me on twitter! Penname: dangerandbeauty**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Well, this is it, guys…**

**Chapter 25**

* * *

**Bella**

My wedding day. It was something I was still coming to terms with. But I only had two more hours to comprehend it, so the freaking out would have to be skipped. My mother, on the other hand, was going batshit crazy enough for me and everyone else in the wedding party. She was currently picking at my hair, making sure the blue clip attached to my veil was secure for the umpteenth time since I'd gotten my hair done.

"You just…you just make sure not to move your head too much, okay, Bella? That damn woman doesn't know what she's doing, I swear. I knew I should have flown Barbara in. She could have gotten this to stick to your hair like duct tape," Mom said, talking about her own hairdresser back in Florida.

"Mom, I'm walking down an aisle, not competing in the Winter Olympics. Calm down," I told her, guiding her over to a chair. She humored me for a second and sat down before standing up again. I was starting to think she was freaking out just so she'd have something to do besides cry.

"Alice, would you be a dear and bring me another glass of champagne?" Edward's mother called to her daughter. "And get one for Renee, too, while you're at it." I looked over at Esme and mouthed a grateful "thank you". She winked at me coyly.

Suddenly I heard crying near the door and turned to look at my daughter, who was currently throwing a fit over having a strange woman zipping up the back of her dress.

Helen, my mom's neighbor and best friend, looked up from the chaos that was my daughter and decided she'd best let me deal with it. She brought my little Sable, who had just grasped how to walk, over to me.

"Someone wants her mommy!"

"Come see, baby, don't cry," I cooed to her, taking her from Helen's arms and rubbing her back. She stopped wailing after a minute and I put her down, straightening out her dress.

The pearl headpin in her pretty copper hair had been knocked askew and was now holding on by a few strands, hitting her in the nose. I tried to fix it as she started crying again. It was her father's fault; when he was home, she was always either in his arms or in her crib, sleeping. He spoiled her rotten, and I could not compete. She was Daddy's little girl and got anything she wanted, but she would have to get over it today, for I couldn't give her my undivided attention for the next few hours.

Life had certainly calmed down after our return from the island. People got over our story just like every other big news report, but every once in a while we would be stopped by a stranger's curiosity. After the baby was born, however, life became nonstop. Edward had to start his year of internship all over, and I decided to get a little job with the local newspaper just to have something to do while he was gone. His parents helped us a lot, and we still received money from Voyage Airlines. It wasn't exactly easy, but it wasn't hard. We had a blast raising Sable, even though sleep was definitely cut down by at least two hours a night. We waited a while to get married for many reasons, but finally the day had come.

The beautician came over to me and started pulling out makeup for my face, scrutinizing my pale skin with a frown. "Mom? Can you take Sable?" I called out to my mother.

Renee came over and held out her arms for her granddaughter while I planted a big kiss on her cheek. "I love you, baby," I told her, handing her over.

"No!" she shouted, her favorite word at the moment before smiling at me, her six little teeth poking out of her gums.

"Okay, Paula," I said, turning back to the beautician. "This will probably be the only time I get married, so make me as pretty as you can!"

Two hours passed like minutes, and soon I was watching my little girl get pulled onto the aisle by Edward's cousin. Rose's son Henry, who was only a month younger than Sable, was our ring-bearer. Edward's twelve year old cousin was carrying him and leading Sable, trying to keep our little flower girl from tripping.

Sable's big brown eyes met my gaze, and I blew her a kiss, hoping she wouldn't start crying in front of all those people.

And then came my turn; the music changed and our wedding planner fixed the train of my dress. My heart started beating out of my ribs, and my breath fell short. But I'd never felt more sure of anything in my life.

"Bella?" my dad asked, offering his arm. I linked mine through his and smiled.

"Don't fall," he chuckled.

"No promises," I said as we walked out onto the aisle. The church had been decked out with white ribbons and decorations, but the only thing I could pay attention to was the handsome man standing at the other end. He threw me a dazzling smile and a wink.

I could hardly pay attention to the vows and everything the priest was saying. All I could think about was how I was going to have Edward to myself by the end of the night for the first time in a long time. And by the way Edward was looking at me, I knew he was thinking the same thing.

Edward slid the wedding band onto my finger, and we both looked at the string that was still tied there after all this time. I'd kept my promise that it would never leave my finger. He took my hand and kissed my rings before kissing me.

* * *

**Edward**

Bella really had no idea where we were going for our honeymoon. But to give her credit, I never would have guessed it, either.

After landing in Atlanta, I grabbed our bags and led her to a waiting area. Our next flight wasn't for another hour.

"Rio?" Bella asked, looking at the plane ticket in her hand.

"Yup, but that's not the final destination," I said.

Bella huffed. "I hate planes."

I chuckled and rubbed her back. "This is the last flight, I promise."

She sat down quietly in a chair and sighed. "Do you think Sable will have forgotten us in a week?"

"Bella, she's a baby, not an idiot," I said, laughing. "It's only a week. What, do you want to go back now?"

"No!" she said loudly. "She's going to hate us, though. A year old, and she'll already have abandonment issues…"

Sable had thrown a fit when she watched us get into the car headed for the airport. Both of us tried soothing her, but she wouldn't have it. No amount of kiss-blowing and peek-a-boos would calm our little girl down. I briefly wondered whether she _would _hate us when we came back. But my mom guaranteed to make her have some fun while we were away. If anything, she'd probably be ten pounds heavier and twice as spoiled in a week's time.

Not long later, we were on the next plane.

Once in Rio, we were driven to a boat dock. The boat I rented was there, keys hidden beneath the driver's seat, just as planned.

"Edward?" Bella said uneasily, giving me her hand so I could help her in.

"Don't worry, I know how to work this."

She scoffed. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise! Just about fifteen more minutes and you'll know." The ocean smelled wonderful, and the farther from Chicago we got, the better I felt.

Not long later, Bella gasped.

"Is—is that…?" she whispered, catching sight of the small piece of land just above the water.

I looked at her and smiled, though I hoped she wouldn't be too disappointed when I told her where we were.

There was a small dock that had been recently built on the island, along with a little cabin big enough for two people. I helped Bella from the boat once I tied it tight, and she instantly ran to the sand.

"How did you—I can't believe it!" Bella said, looking back and forth from me to the trees. Before I could respond, she grabbed my elbow and used me for balance as she took off her sandals. The second they were off, she dug her toes in the sand, feeling each particle against her finely pedicured skin. I heard her take a deep breath, the kind of breath one takes upon returning home after a long vacation.

"It smells just the same," she commented happily. I smiled at the delight on my new wife's face. "Is it our island?" she asked, looking at me hopefully.

I bit the inside of my cheek, unable to lie to her.

Shaking my head, I told her how this had come to be.

"I wanted to get our island, sweetheart, I really did. But it's so far from civilization. If we were to have gotten it, there was no guarantee we would be safe so far away from help. Here, it's almost the same size, and it's got the same trees and plants. There's even a cave quite like the one we had! Well, two, actually…It was just a little island that wasn't being used…" I ran a hand through my hair, preparing myself for her disappointment.

If she was sad, however, there was no indication of it. She merely beamed at me and walked over, kissing me gently.

Tears lined her eyes. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."

Relief spread through me instantaneously. She was _happy._ "I love you," I said, putting my forehead against hers.

"And I love you." She trailed a thin finger down my chest before turning around and walking toward the tiny wood cabin.

My family and I had bought the island and built the cabin but I'd decided to rent it out when we weren't using it. I was right; it really was very similar to our island. There were palm trees and white sand, birds and humidity.

And oh God, the sound. I'd waited so long to hear the rhythmic waves hitting the sand. I felt _home._

I followed Bella's idea and took off my shoes and socks, deciding the suitcases could wait until later. We could stay naked for all I cared. It's not like anyone was going to see us.

I found Bella inside the cabin, taking in the small house. I'd never seen it before; my mom and dad had arranged most of the plans and got my okay before doing anything too crazy. My mom had wanted a three bedroom magnificent house, the "perfect getaway" in her words, but I knew with the island already being so small, it would swallow up the natural beauty, and Bella wouldn't like that as much. So I had them build the small cabin. I tried very hard to recreate the island we'd been stranded on for months. There wasn't even electricity, but at least we had a bed now.

"This is so beautiful," Bella said, touching the silky curtains billowing from the small breeze through the window. My chest swelled with pride, glad to be told I'd done well.

"Are you hungry? Think I could still catch a fish?" I asked her.

She snorted. "Please. What are you talking about? You never could catch a fish."

I laughed and set my shoes next to hers on the floor.

"So, did I do a good job on choosing our honeymoon? Would you rather be in Italy or something?" I asked, already knowing her answer.

"Hmm. No, I think you did a decent job, Mr. Cullen," she replied, walking over and loosening my tie. "But I'll have you know that I picked sand out of my butt for months, and now I'll have to start the process all over again." She started unbuttoning my shirt.

"Well, then mission accomplished, Mrs. Cullen. And that's what you were doing all that time? I just figured you had a hemorrhoid or something," I joked, watching her beautiful skin blush as she rolled her eyes at me. She walked over to the decorations on the wall and I went into the bedroom to check it out, lighting candles along the way.

"Wow," I sighed as I surveyed the fancy bedspread. I guessed Mom couldn't help herself when it came to this room. It was decked out with expensive furniture, and the bed had a silky transparent cover over it.

"Bella, have you seen the bedroom?" I called out to her. When I didn't get an answer, I returned to the living room to find her missing. I walked outside, where the sky had turned dark.

"Bella?"

I saw her outfit crumpled on the sand between the cabin and the water. _Impatient woman…_

I walked over to her clothes, trying to spot her. She'd lost her tan not long after moving into our house, and if she was naked, it should be very easy to spot her.

She was waist-deep in the water, right under the moon, her back to me, her skin looking creamy smooth and practically glowing. Her hands were above the water, palms down, her head back and the tips of her hair just getting wet. It was a sight I'd seen before, the first time we'd shared each other on our island.

I quickly shed my clothes next to hers and walked forward, the mixture of water and sand a silent reminder of everything I'd lost…

…And everything I'd gained…

* * *

**A/N: Holy moley, I struggled with this chapter. I rewrote it twice! Sorry it took so long and that it's short, but what can I say? It's an ending. I hope you guys feel that I ended it just right and that you've enjoyed this whole ride.**

**Sable means "sand" in French. I thought it was appropriate and cute. I hope no one hates the name, sorry if you do. Got it from freetranslation.**

**Thank you so much to all my readers and reviewers for sticking with me the last two years. I can't say how much I appreciate it. This is the first story I stuck with and actually finished, and it's honestly because of you guys. I'm so proud to have reached over 2,000 reviews and 1600 favorites, most of them good. I'll probably cry when I switch it to "completed".**

**One more thing, I have other stories I'm writing (ones I don't struggle with but promised not to continue till I finished this one) My favorite is **_**No Such Thing as Love**_**. I have so much fun writing the mystery and OOC and IMO it's my best writing so far. I work really hard on it. And there's **_**Until the End**_**…**

**I'll be starting a new horror story soon. It'll be short, but you'll get to see me kill off a bunch of bitchy sorority girls. (I'm in a sorority, and sometimes I hate my sisters so much, I've just got to write this.)**

**Anyway, thanks again for reading! And please review! Last chance!**


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